^ 


INTIMATE    RECOLLECTIONS 

OF 

JOSEPH   JEFFERSON 


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*\> 


COPYRIGHT,  1909,  BY 
DODD,  MEAD  AND  COMPANY 

Published,   October,  1909 


To  7)11/  Grandson 
THOMAS   PRESTON   SCOTT 


You  never  heard  that  old  story  about  "  All  full 
inside," — did  you,  dear? 

You  do  not  know  that  it  was  your  great-grand- 
father Jefferson  who  said  "  God  bless  the  little 
church  around  the  corner," — do  you,  dear? 

But  the  world  has  heard  the  old  stories  twice 
told;  and  they  are  not  new,  hut  they  will  he  won- 
derfully new  to  you,  dear;  and  it  is  for  your  sake 
that  I  am  saving  these  old  memories. 

You  are  only  two  years  old,  and  have  not  yet 
been  told  inuch  about  your  great-grandfather. 
When  you  are  a  wee  bit  older,  you  will  learn  that 
he  was  beloved  by  a  nation,  and  that  he  ivas  worthy 
of  that  love. 

The  world  has  its  '  busy  day  '  sign  out  all  the 
time,  dear,  and  it  forgets  .  .  .  There  was  once 
upon  a  time  a  man  whom  all  the  children  and  all 
the  dogs  loved.  One  day  he  took  a  very,  very 
long  nap,  and  when  he  woke  up  he  found  him- 
self ragged  and  old.  The  children  had  all  grown 
up  and  the  dogs  were  strange,  and  they  barked  at 
him,  and  the  old  man  was  sad  and  he  thought 
within  himself,  "Are  we  so  soon  forgot  when  we 


are  gone: 


But  we  will  not  forget, — will  we,  dear? 


The  author  wishes  sincerely  to  thank  all  of 
those  who  have  made  it  possible  for  her  to  give 
these  memories  of  Joseph  Jefferson  to  his  universal 
friend — the  public — and  to  perpetuate  in  this  way 
the  kindly  expressions  of  those  who  wrote  of  him 
and  those  who  knew  him  in  other  days.  To  the 
generous  friends  who  have  contributed  by  letter, 
anecdote,  or  by  the  copy  of  a  paper  no  longer 
obtainable,  I  desire  to  express  my  gratitude. 

To  Mrs.  Grover  Cleveland  for  permission  to  use 
letters,  also  to  Miss  Helen  Keller,  Miss  Caroline 
Derby,  Henry  Watterson,  Richard  Watson  Gil- 
der, Edward  Valentine,  William  Winter,  C. 
Edwin  Booth  Grossman,  Charles  I.  Cragin, 
American  Art  Association,  Burr  Mcintosh  Com- 
pany, Pach  Bros.,  Falk,  Sarony,  Gilbert  Studios, 
Thomas  E.  Marr,  Dana  Estes  Company,  C.  M. 
Bell  Studio,  J.  H.  Corning,  Foster  &  Reynolds, 
The  Players'  Club,  The  New  York  Herald,  The 
Theatre  Magazine,  The  Outlook  Company,  and 
others. 


CONTENTS 

CHAFTEB                                                                                                                                     PAGE 

I  Palm  Beach     ....     .     i.,    ,.:    :. 

:       t..             I 

II  Buzzards  Bay    ....     . 

.« 

^    .. 

.. 

. 

25 

Ill  The  Collector  .     .     .    >     :. 

:      :. 

. 

. 

.       39 

IV  The  Painter     .      .     ,.:    ..;    i. 

:        la 

i      i< 

:        ,. 

51 

V  Louisiana     .      .      .     >     t.i    r. 

u 

1      I« 

:       ■• 

59 

VI   HOHOKUS 

;. 

79 

VII  Author  and  Orator     .     .     r. 

■. 

88 

VIII  The  Actor     ..... 

. 

.       129 

IX  The  Man 

■       ' 

.     171 

X  Friends 

.        ■■ 

,     200 

XI  Charles  Burke  Jefferson 

. 

.     238 

XII  An  Heritage     .... 

. 

.     280 

XIII  Biography 

•       1 

. 

.     301 

XIV  Faith  and  Reason    ... 

. 

.     320 

XV  Laurel  Wreaths    ..    .    ...    i 

» 

, 

.     332 

xii  ILLUSTRATIONS 

The  artist  at  work  in  his  studio      .      .  "  "         54 

The  Old  Mill.    By  Joseph  Jefferson     .  "  "         58 

House   at  Jefferst)n's   Island,   Louisiana         "  "         62 

The    Wave.      By   Joseph    Jefferson     .  "  "         66 

The    rose-covered    cottage.      Mr.    and 

Mrs.  Jefferson,  with  three  sons    .  "  "         76 

Joseph  Jefferson's  house  at  Hohokus,  as 

it  was  when  he  occupied  it      .      .  "  "         80 

Joseph    Jefferson    on    porch    at    Crow's 

Nest "  "        86 

Mr.  Jefferson.  From  a  photograph 
taken  about  the  year  1889,  at  the 
time  he  was  writing  his  autobiog- 
raphy        92 

Portrait  of  Kemble.  George  Henry 
Harlow,  1787-18 19.  Formerly  in 
the   Jefferson    collection      ...  *  98 

The  Collector "  "102 

Mr.  Golightly  in  Lend  Me  Five  Shil- 
lings. The  part  in  which  Mr. 
Jefferson    last    appeared       .      .      .  108 

Feeding  the  Baby.  By  Albert  Neu- 
huys.  Formerly  in  the  Jefferson 
collection 112 

The  Horseman.  Jean  Baptiste  Corot, 
1 796- 1 874.  Formerly  in  the  Jef- 
ferson   collection 118 

Bob  Acres   (Second  Act)   in  Sheridan's 

comedy,  The   Rivals      ....  ^22 

The  painter  and  his  work     ....  I2D 

Joseph   Jefferson.     After  his  return  to 

America ^34 

Joseph  Jefferson  at  the  Adelphi  Theatre, 
London,  in  1865.  Mrs.  Billing- 
ton  as  Gretchen,  Miss  Buckston  as 
Meenie "  "140 

Caleb  Plummer  in  The  Cricket  on  the 

Hearth "  "144 

Last  appearance  of  Joseph  Jefferson  as 
Rip  Van  Winkle,  Paterson,  New 
Jersey,  Saturday  matinee,  May  2, 
1904 "  "148 


ILLUSTRATIONS  xlii 


Last  appearance  of  Joseph  Jefferson, 
Paterson,  New  Jersey,  Saturday- 
evening,    May   2,    1904 

Joseph  Jefferson  as  Rip  Van  Winkle 
(First    Act) 

"Fighting"  Bob  (Third  Act).  "Forty 
yards — if  you  love  me ! — No  ?  Well 
then — 39?" 

Portrait  of  Macready  as  Willianm  Tell. 
By  Henry  Inman,  1802-1846. 
Formerly  in  the  Jefferson  collec- 
tion      

Portrait  of  Richard  Brinsley  Sheridan. 
By  Thomas  Gainsborough,  R.  A., 
1727-1788.  Formerly  in  the  Jef- 
ferson   collection 

Mr.  Sol  Smith  Russell,  Mr.  Jefferson 
and  grandsons 

Under  a  burning  sky.  Fishing  party  on 
Lake   Worth 

Bronze  panel  under  mantel  in  reception- 
room  at  Crovi^'s  Nest     . 

Reception-room  at  Crow's  Nest,  show- 
ing bronze  panel  under  the  mantel 

Grover   Cleveland,    1893      .... 

Facsimile  of  letter  written  by  Grover 
Cleveland  to  Charles  Jefferson 

Helen   Keller  and  Joseph   Jefferson 

View  of  Buttermilk  Bay  from  the 
porch      

Edwin    Booth 

Mr.  Jefferson's  grandson,  Warren,  in 
the  "  Rip  "hat 

Charles   Burke    Jefferson      .... 

Joseph  Jefferson  in  the  early  sixties     '. 

Joseph  Jefferson  at  the  Adelphi  Theatre, 
London,  in  1865,  in  the  original 
Boucicault  dramatisation  of  Rip 
Van   Winkle 

Joseph  Jefferson  and  his  son,  Charles 
Burke  Jefferson,  Palm  Beach, 
Florida 


149 

(( 

154 

« 

158 

162 


« 

166 

« 

374 

« 

180 

<( 

188 

ct 

192 

202 

It 

206 

« 

210 

<c 

216 

« 

224 

« 

230 

240 

244 

It 

250 

te 

256 

xiv  ILLUSTRATIONS 

Upper   hall    at   Crow's    Nest,    showing 

"Cleveland    room"    (left)       .      .  "  "       260 

Indian  Mound.  Home  of  Thomas  Jef- 
ferson, Buzzards  Bay     ....  "  '*       268 

Thomas  Jefferson "  "       274 

Thomas  Jefferson  with  children  in  Rip 

Van   Winkle "  "282 

Facsimile  of  letter  written  by  Joseph 
Jefferson  to  his  son,  Thomas  Jeffer- 
son       "  '*       284 

Thomas  Jefferson  as  Rip  Van  Winkle 
(Last  Act).  "My  gun  must  of 
cotched  the  rhumatix  too!"      .      .  "       288 

An  inheritance.  Properties  and  cos- 
tumes used  by  Joseph  Jefferson  in 
Rip  Van  Winkle "  "292 

Thomas  Jefferson  as  Rip  Van  Winkle 

(First   Act) "  "298 

Mr.    Joseph    Warren    Jefferson    as    Sir 

Lucius  O'Trigger "  "       302 

William  Winter  Jefferson  as  Bob  Acres         "  "       306 

Cornelia  Jackson  as  Tilly   Slowboy     .  "  "       310 

Lauretta     Jefferson     as     Meenie     Van 

Winkle   (Sixth  Generation)      .      .  "  "314 

Charles  Burke  Jefferson.  William  Win- 
ter Jefferson.     Thomas  Jefferson   .  *  "       316 

Pen  and  ink  sketch  by  Joseph  Jefferson. 
A  suggestion  for  a  poster  made  to 
his  sons  at  the  time  of  their  starring 
tour "  ;,'       318 

The  lily  pond  at  Crow's  Nest     ...  "       324 

Boulder  at  grave.  The  quotation  on 
the  tablet  consists  of  the  last  lines 
in  Mr.  Jefferson's  autobiography  .  "  "       360 

Rear  view  of  boulder "  "       364 


CHAPTER  I 

PALM  BEACH 

It  has  been  dear  to  me — this  life  of  illuminated  emo- 
tions, and  it  has  been  magnificently  repaid. 

Joseph  Jefferson. 

WHETHER  you  knew  him  as  actor, 
author,  or  painter,  as  clubman,  fish- 
erman, or  friend,  your  recollections 
of  Joseph  Jefferson  are  happy  ones.  His  name 
will  ever  bring  a  smile  to  the  lips,  a  light  to  the 
eye;  and  so  he  wished  it  to  be,  for  his  was  in- 
deed a  joyful  life,  "which  ever  caused  us  to  see 
things  in  a  better  light,  made  us  laugh,  and 
lifted  us  from  care — even  for  three  genera- 
tions." 

The  universal  love  which  his  life  inspired 
was  deep  and  sincere,  and  the  desire  to  get 
closer  to  the  real  man,  to  know  more  of  the 
secret  with  which  he  swayed  a  nation,  has  been 
expressed  by  ail  who  knew  him,  as  well  as  those 
who  knew  him  not. 

Underlying  his  love  of  humour  was  that 
sympathy  which  is  the  twin  of  humour,  and  has 
its  origin  in  kindness,  for  Mr.  Jefferson  was  al- 
ways careful  not  to  offend,  believing  that  the 
highest  altruism  is  respect  for  the  convictions 


2       INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

of  others,  especially  if  these  convictions  were 
consistent  with  well-ordered  lives;  and  al- 
though he  dearly  loved  to  make  people  laugh, 
he  was  at  heart  a  deep  thinker,  a  great  reader, 
and  a  wise  philosopher.  He  always  carried  a 
notebook  with  him,  in  which  he  would  write 
his  thoughts  on  different  subjects.  These  re- 
flections were  the  product  of  a  mind  vitally 
active,  and  wonderfully  observant  of  all  that 
was  most  beautiful  in  art  and  nature. 

He  was  always  a  faithful  disciple  to  the  gos- 
pel of  work,  and  in  his  home,  surrounded  by  his 
family  and  friends,  he  enjoyed  the  fruits  of  long 
years  of  toil,  "  never  admitting,"  says  one  writ- 
ing about  him,  "  that  his  success  had  been  due 
entirely  to  his  genius."  Everywhere  in  his 
house  was  the  evidence  of  his  love  for  the  beau- 
tiful, as  he  also  preached  the  gospel  of  art.  It 
has  been  said  that  above  all  his  talents  was  that 
of  home  maker,  and  that  the  most  delightful 
thing  to  see  was  the  filial  respect  and  affection 
shown  by  Mr.  Jefferson's  sons  to  their  father, 
which  was  of  the  good  old-fashioned  sort,  with 
nothing  perfunctory  about  it,  but  instinctive  and 
spontaneous,  such  as  we  read  about  in  the  de- 
scription of  American  life  in  past  generations. 

With  advancing  years,  Mr.  Jefferson  availed 
himself  of  the  privilege  afforded  by  his  ample 


THOMAS   PRESTON   SCO  FT 


AGED  TWO   YEARS,    GREAT-GRANDSON    OF  JOSEPH   JEFFERSON, 
TO   WHOM    THESE   MEMORIES   ARE    DEDICATED 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  3 

means  to  take  life  easy.  His  theatrical  season 
consisted  of  eighteen  weeks  only,  twelve  in  the 
fall  and  winter  and  six  in  the  spring.  This  plan 
gave  him  opportunity  and  leisure  to  devote  to 
other  occupations,  such  as  painting,  writing, 
gardening,  and  fishing. 

Mr.  Jefferson  made  his  winter  home  in  Palm 
Beach,  Florida,  where  everybody  knew  him; 
his  genial  nature  gave  him  a  warm  place  in  all 
hearts,  his  kindly  smile  wielded  a  charm  which 
made  him  a  popular  friend,  comrade,  and  good 
fellow.  Two  years  before  his  passing  on,  the 
writer  visited  Mr.  Jefferson  at  his  home.  With 
what  pleasure,  on  the  morning  of  our  arrival  at 
his  cottage,  "  The  Reefs,"  which  faced  the 
ocean,  did  he  point  out  the  magnificent  view 
from  its  porch.  "Always  changing,"  he  said, 
"you  never  get  it  the  same;"  and  then  taking 
us  indoors  he  showed  us  his  latest  work  in  glass 
painting,  in  which  he  had  been  using  the  natural 
blue  colouring  of  the  glass,  blended  with  white, 
for  the  sky  and  water  effects.  He  also  called 
attention  to  the  many  beautiful  gifts,  among 
which  were  several  silver  loving-cups,  which 
had  been  sent  to  him  from  year  to  year  on  his 
birthday  by  his  friends.  He  lost  no  time  in  tak- 
ing me  out  to  see  the  sights,  and  as  we  walked 
through  the  beautiful  long  avenue  lined  with 


4      INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

tropical  foliage  and  flowers,  leading  from  one 
great  hotel  to  the  other — between  the  ocean  and 
the  lake — he  was  greeted  by  smiles  and  nods 
from  all  sides.  He  had  the  gracious  knack  of 
recognising  people  when  he  saw  that  he  was 
recognised  by  them,  whether  he  had  ever  met 
them  or  not.  For  his  friends  he  had  a  warm 
handclasp  or  a  cheery  word  of  greeting,  and  for 
the  camera  fiends,  a  kindly,  tactful  "Not  this 
morning,  please.  I'm  not  dressed  up!"  He 
called  attention  to  the  lonely  mule  and  the  car 
on  a  single  track.  "The  only  horse  on  the 
island,"  he  said.  "  When  he  gets  to  the  hotel 
on  the  lake  we  reverse  him,  and  send  him  back 
to  the  hotel  on  the  ocean.  It's  a  poor  mule  that 
won't  work  both  ways!" 

Our  first  call  was  at  Marble  Hall,  Mr.  Flag- 
ler's beautiful  residence  on  the  lake,  and  while 
waiting  for  him  Mr.  Jefferson  called  atten- 
tion to  a  magnificently  carved  table  of  black 
marble  in  the  centre  of  the  hall,  upon  which 
stood  an  exquisite  orchid  of  bright  rose  colour, 
its  blossoms  falling  in  a  shower  from  the  table 
to  the  floor.  His  artistic  eye  never  missed  an 
effect  of  colour;  and  it  did  not  fail  to  take  in  the 
beautiful  picture  formed  by  the  background  of 
black  marble.  In  the  library  he  pointed  out 
how  the  grain  of  the  mahogany  which  panelled 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  5 

its  walls  formed  the  head  of  a  buffalo  in  each 
panel  so  perfectly  that  it  seemed  impossible  to 
believe  that  it  could  be  a  freak  of  nature. 

On  this  occasion  our  host  took  us  on  a  tour  of 
inspection  through  the  beautiful  mansion,  end- 
ing in  his  private  office.  "  Here,"  he  remarked, 
"  is  where  the  wheels  go  round."  As  we  left  the 
house,  in  reply  to  my  enthusiasm,  Mr.  Jefferson 
said:  "Yes,  it's  all  very  beautiful,  but  no  man 
can  be  really  happy  with  a  home  like  that." 

"Why  not?"  I  asked  him. 

"  Because,"  he  replied,  "  he  must  know  he's 
got  to  give  it  up  some  day;  to  leave  it  all  be- 
hind; and  no  man  can  be  truly  happy  knowing 
that." 

"  Not  even  if  he  believes  there  may  be  some- 
thing better  beyond?"  I  asked. 

"  Ah,  my  dear  child,"  he  said,  shaking  his 
head  sadly,  "we  have  no  way  of  knowing  that; 
we  have  no  proof." 

We  could  not  continue  the  conversation  at 
that  time,  as  there  were  constant  interruptions — 
greetings  and  introductions  on  our  way  home — 
but  that  evening  he  called  me  to  come  out  on  the 
porch  where  he  was  standing.  He  led  the  way 
down  the  steps  and  out  upon  the  lawn  in  front 
of  the  house,  where  we  stood  for  a  moment  in 
the  silence  of  the  beautiful  night,  facing  the 


6       INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

great  peaceful  ocean  stretching  away  in  front 
of  us  until  it  seemed  to  meet  and  touch  the  stars 
which  thickly  studded  the  sky,  and  which  ap- 
pear to  be  nearer  and  so  much  larger  in  the 
tropics  than  elsewhere.  When  he  spoke  it  was 
in  a  hushed  voice,  his  eyes  raised  to  the  sky. 

"Look!  Look  up  there!"  he  said,  his  out- 
stretched arm  sweeping  the  sky.  "  Do  you 
mean  to  tell  me  that  the  Mind  which  con- 
ceived that  is  to  be  understood  by  mere  mortal 
man?"  And  without  allowing  me  to  reply  he 
plunged  into  the  wonders  of  astronomy,  a  sci- 
ence of  which  he  was  very  fond,  and  about 
which  he  was  well  informed.  I  agreed  perfectly 
with  him — although  he  did  not  allow  me  to  tell 
him  so — that  mere  mortal  man  could  never  un- 
derstand the  divine  Mind.  Only  spiritual  man, 
identified  by  his  likeness  to  the  divine — not  the 
mortal — could  understand  that  Mind  which 
governs  the  universe. 

It  became  a  regular  institution  each  year  at 
Palm  Beach  to  celebrate  Mr.  Jefferson's  birth- 
day at  "Reve  d'Ete,"  the  home  of  Mr.  Charles 
Cragin.  Here  on  this  anniversary,  February  the 
twentieth,  would  gather  such  men  as  ex- Admiral 
George  Dewey,  U.  S.  N.,  Attorney-General  P. 
C.  Knox,  Judge  Willoughby,  Count  Louis 
Bonaparte  Primoli,  and  many  others. 


Collection  J.  H.  C.iriiiiiir 

MR.  JEFFERSON   AND  GRANDDAUGHTER 

"THE    REEFS,"    PALM    BEACH,    I9OI 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  7 

The  first  of  these  occasions  to  be  recorded  was 
in  1903,  when  the  host  greeted  his  guests  at 
the  table  by  the  following  remarks: 

"  Gentlemen: 

"Another  year  has  passed  and  again  this 
little  party  gathers  to  congratulate  and  to  cheer 
our  dear  old  friend  as  he  reaches  another  mile- 
stone on  his  life's  journey.  No,  that  simile  is 
not  a  happy  one.  The  idea  of  a  journey  brings 
to  the  mind  visions  of  weariness,  of  dust,  of  gen- 
eral discomfort,  of  an  unpleasant  thing — the 
sooner  ended  the  better. 

"The  picture  I  see  to-day  is  not  that  of  a 
weary,  dusty  traveller,  but  of  a  gentle,  happy 
nature,  sauntering  along  life's  autumn  after- 
noon, picking  a  flower  here,  stopping  there  to 
sketch  a  bit  of  landscape,  or  here  again  to  do  a 
kindly  deed  or  say  a  loving  word.  As  he  sees 
this  group  of  friends  gathered  to  greet  him  at 
the  milestone  he  says,  with  the  merry  twinkle  of 
his  eye  that  all  the  world  knows  so  well,  '  God 
bless  my  soul,  gentlemen,  is  it  possible  that  I 
am  seventy-four  years  young  to-day?' 

"  He  surely  knows  how  to  grow  young  grace- 
fully, or,  rather,  how  to  glide  along  life's  path- 
way without  growing  old  at  all.  In  his  beauty 
sleep  of  twenty  years  in  the  Catskills,  or  in  the 
discovery  of  Ponce  de  Leon's  fountain  of  per- 


8       INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

petual  youth  here  in  Florida,  he  has  learned 
how  to  grow  younger  with  each  added  year. 
We  drink  his  health  and  sincerely  echo  his  wish 
that  he  may  '  live  long  and  prosper.'" 

Mr.  Jefferson  responded  in  his  wittiest  and 
happiest  vein. 

In  1904,  one  year  later,  as  the  guests  again 
gathered  to  honour  the  birthday  of  their  friend, 
their  host  addressed  them  with  the  following 
remarks: 

"  Gentlemen: 

"  Once  more  the  dial  that  marks  the  flight  of 
time,  by  years  and  events  rather  than  by  hours 
and  minutes,  records  the  birthday  of  our  dear 
old  friend,  Mr.  Jefferson,  and  we  gladly  reas- 
semble to  give  him  our  hearty  greetings  and 
congratulations,  as  we  have  done  on  so  many 
occasions  around  this  board,  and  as  we  hope  to 
do  for  many  years  in  the  future. 

"  The  twentieth  of  February  is,  for  us,  a  fixed 
feast,  as  much  a  holiday  as  the  twenty-second. 
George  was  no  doubt  '  first  in  peace,  first  in 
war,'  but  our  Joseph  is,  and  always  was,  and 
always  shall  be,  '  first  in  the  hearts  of  his  coun- 
trymen,' not  through  the  antedate  of  his  birth, 
but  on  account  of  his  lovable  and  gentle  person- 
ality, which  gives  him  so  warm  a  place  in  the 
hearts  of  all  those  who  are  honoured  by  his 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  9 

friendship,  and  causes  him  to  be  so  greatly  ad- 
mired by  the  many  thousands  who  flock,  '  even 
to  the  third  and  fourth  generations,'  to  see  him 
in  his  wonderful  impersonations. 

"  Speaking  of  Mr.  Jefferson's  impersonations, 
I  am  reminded  of  a  question  I  have  long  meant 
to  ask  him.  Now,  Mr.  Jefferson,  we  are  all 
friends  here,  all  discreet  married  men,  and  I 
wish  to  ask  you  to  tell  us, — in  the  strictest  confi- 
dence, of  course, — the  actual  facts  as  to  that 
twenty-years'  absence  of  yours.  Of  course,  we 
sensible  men  all  agree  that  your  story  of  a  con- 
tinuous slumber  of  twenty  years  was  rather 
gauzy.  I  haven't  consulted  with  these  gentle- 
men, but  I  say  without  hesitation  that  none  of 
us  has  ever,  in  his  wildest  flight  of  fancy,  ven- 
tured to  try  any  such  tale  as  that,  in  the  bosom 
of  his  family,  when  called  upon  to  explain  some 
real  or  fancied  dereliction  from  duty. 

"  It  was  the  general  opinion  in  Falling 
Waters,  all  during  your  absence,  that  you  had 
simply  run  away  from  the  terrors  of  home,  and 
gone  to  New  York  to  enjoy  yourself,  like  the 
rollicking  blade  that  you  were  in  those  days. 
Mrs.  Van  Winkle  held  this  belief  to  the  day 
of  her  death,  and  it  was  to  a  certain  extent  veri- 
fied when  Nick  Vedder,  returning  from  a  peri- 
odical trip  to  New  York,  where  he  had  been  to 


lo     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

replenish  the  stock  of  his  bar  and  larder,  re- 
ported to  us  that  he  had  seen  there  a  sign  bear- 
ing the  name  of  Rip  Van  Winkle,  followed  by 
the  words,  '  licensed  to  sell  beer,  wine  and 
spirits.' 

"  There  was  one  very  significant  fact  that  I 
noticed  as  soon  as  I  saw  you  upon  your  return. 
You  had  allowed  your  hair  and  beard  to  grow, 
your  clothes  seemed  to  bear  silent  witness  to 
the  truth  of  your  story,  and  your  gun  seemed 
to  need  some  slight  repairs  before  it  could  be 
said  to  be  in  prime  condition  for  actual  service; 
but  your  finger  nails  were  not  a  bit  longer  than 
upon  the  day  you  left  us,  twenty  years  before. 
This,  to  my  mind,  was  a  dead  giveaway,  to  speak 
in  the  vernacular.  Sherlock  Holmes  would 
surely  have  said,  had  he  been  invented  at  that 
time,  that  you  had  been  on  very  much  more  in- 
timate terms  with  your  manicure  than  with  your 
barber  or  your  tailor. 

"  '  Honest  confession  is  good  for  the  soul,'  and 
I  think  you  will  never  have  a  better  opportu- 
nity than  this  seventy-fifth  birthday  to  confess 
your  sins. 

"  A  negro  was  recently  arrested  at  West  Palm 
Beach  for  stealing  chickens,  and  the  Justice  of 
the  Peace,  before  whom  he  was  to  be  tried, 
said  to  him,  '  Are  you  the  defendant  in  this 
case?' 


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JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  n 

"'No,  Jedge,'  said  the  prisoner,  turning  and 
pointing  to  a  shyster  lawyer  whom  he  had  en- 
gaged to  defend  him  (and  incidentally  to  try  to 
prove  that  the  innocent  original  owner  of  the 
chickens  had  been  guilty  of  every  crime  in  the 
calendar,  and  should  be  mulcted  in  heavy  dam- 
ages for  false  imprisonment),  '  dat  am  de  de- 
fendant.    I'se  de  man  what  stole  the  chickens.' 

"  I  am  sorry  to  say  that  in  this  case  you  are 
the  defendant,  and  I  am  only  the  man  that  has 
got  you  into  this  trouble,  but  I  promise  in  ad- 
vance that  we  will  forgive  you,  whatever  the 
truth  may  be.  In  earnest  of  which,  we  pledge 
your  health  in  the  good  old  toast: 

" '  Here's  to  you,  and  to  your  family,  unt  may 
you  all  live  long  unt  brosper.' " 

Mr.  Jefferson  responded  as  follows: 

"  Gentlemen: 

"  I  have  often  attended  dinners  where  I  re- 
ceived compliments  I  did  not  deserve.  In  fact, 
it  is  sometimes  embarrassing  to  be  considered 
so  respectable,  and  I  often  wonder  if  I  will  not 
have  to  get  into  a  scandal  to  avoid  suspicion.  I 
have  had  many  nice  things  said  to  me,  but  I 
have  never  been  asked  so  impertinent  a  question 
as  has  been  put  to  me  to-day.  I  shall  try  to  an- 
swer the  charge,  and  tell  what  I  did  during  the 
twenty-years'  absence,  but  of  one  thing  I  am 


12     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

certain.  That  is,  that  Nick  Vedder  never  saw 
the  sign  licensing  Rip  to  sell  wines  and  other 
beverages,  for  Nick  died  before  Rip  went  to 
sleep! — that  is,  at  the  end  of  the  first  act! 
[Laughter.]  As  to  the  'make-up,'  'the  appear- 
ance of  Rip,'  I  will  say  that  during  that  twenty 
years  .1  married  my  present  wife,  and  that  was 
a  good  reason,  I  am  sure,  for  keeping  my  nails 
pared.  [Laughter.]  However,  realism  and  art 
can  never  be  one  and  the  same.  A  man  may  say 
that  he  wants  the  real  thing,  but  suppose  a  real 
dog  were  to  be  introduced  in  the  play,  and  sup- 
pose a  boy  in  the  gallery  should  whistle.  The 
dog  would  wag  his  tail  and  look  at  the  gallery 
— and  where  would  art  be!  Then  if  he  were 
transported  to  the  mountains,  no  one  can  tell 
how  a  dog  would  behave  there  during  that  long 
sleep.  Regarding  the  latter,  the  only  way  one 
could  obtain  realism  would  be  to  sit  in  the 
theatre  for  twenty  years, — and  then  wake  up." 
Mr.  Cragin  responded  by  saying: 
"  Rip  has  not  fully  answered  my  question  as 
to  where  he  really  was  during  that  twenty  years. 
He  does  not  say  the  sign  wasn't  there,  he  only 
says  Nick  could  not  have  seen  it,  but  the  Attor- 
ney-General (Hon.  P.  C.  Knox)  informs  me 
that  he  has  acknowledged  that  he  was  not  asleep 
in  the  Catskills,  as  he  has  so  long  led  us  to  be- 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  13 

lieve,  as  he  confessed  that  he  married  his  pres- 
ent wife  during  that  time,  and,  also,  that  as  this 
latter  marriage  was  during  the  life  of  Mrs. 
Rip,  it  was  a  sufficient  reason  for  his  not  return- 
ing sooner  to  Falling  Waters.  However,  she  is 
dead  now,  for  I  have  seen  her  gravestone.  I 
knew  it  was  hers,  as  it  bore  the  letters,   '  R. 

I.  p; " 

At  one  of  these  breakfasts  Mr.  Jefiferson  read 
for  the  amusement  of  his  host  and  his  guests  the 
following  letter  from  his  assistant  overseer: 

Iberia   Parish,   La. 
My  Dear  Mr.  Jefson: 

I  spose  you  don't  like  to  hear  from  myself,  but  sir, 
I  am  in  a  bad  way  sure.  Your  overseer  don't  like  me 
mity  well  and  that  the  reason  that  I  write  to  you.  Some- 
time the  wether  is  bad,  and  I  can't  get  cross  the  prary  for 
to  do  my  work  on  that  plantation  that  you  hone  yourself, 
then  he  cuss  me  awful  bad  befo  all  those  black  nigger 
hands  on  the  place.  I  think  he  been  writing  you  bout  me, 
thats  why  I  go  writing  bout  himself.  Now  look  for  your- 
self, no  christian  cant  cross  a  prary  in  bad  wether.  You 
think  that  overseer  is  putty  good  man  yes.  I  don't  think 
him  a  fust  rate  man,  no.  I  wish  you  could  come  down 
here  when  that  overseer  ant  round.  I  will  show  you  some 
things  that  you  never  can't  see.  So  please  sir  don't  let 
him  send  me  away  for  sure  because  then  what  will  I  do 
for  myself.  Please  write  that  overseer  to  make  me  stay  if 
I  will  and  I   don't  never  forget  your  kindness  caus  some 


14     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

day  that  overseer  he  is  a  good  kind  man  and  next  day  he 
is  just  like  a  son  of  a  Gun. 

I  am,  your  good  fren 

Saturday  morning, 
I  am, 

Jan  Larue. 
P.  S.  You  see  I  am  in  a  bad  way  sir  cause  my  old 
mudder  is  dead  for  a  long  time.  My  fader  she  cant  see 
out  of  both  his  eyes  and  what  will  I  do?  My  wife  is  going 
to  have  a  lettle  baby,  and  you  wouldn't  like  to  be  that  way 
yourself. 

Mr.  Jefferson  saved  his  best  stories  to  tell  at 
his  birthday  breakfasts;  his  sense  of  humour 
was  keen,  and  his  own  enjoyment  of  the  stories 
as  great  as  those  who  heard  him  tell  them. 

At  one  time  there  appeared  in  the  daily  papers 
an  advertisement  of  a  certain  patent  medicine 
which  claimed  to  have  "  given  Joseph  Jefferson 
a  new  stomach!"  As  this  continued  to  appear 
in  large  type,  Mr.  Jefferson  wrote  to  the  doctor 
who  advertised  it,  protesting  against  the  unau- 
thorised use  of  his  name.  The  doctor  politely 
sent  his  representative  to  make  a  personal  apol- 
ogy, but  Mr.  Jefferson  felt  that  he  owed  the 
doctor  one,  and  he  had  to  get  back  at  him. 

One  day  while  upon  the  water  in  his  launch, 
some  friends  who  had  heard  the  story  asked  to 
have  the  doctor's  house  pointed  out  to  them. 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  15 

When  they  were  passing  the  place,  Mr.  Jef- 
ferson called  their  attention  to  it,  saying,  "  There 
it  is ;  everybody  around  here  knows  it,  even  the 
ducks, — don't  you  hear  them?  Quack!  Quack! 
Quack!" 

For  the  entertainment  of  Mr.  Cragin's  guests 
Mr.  Jefferson  also  related  the  story  of  a  dinner 
given  to  him  by  Mr.  Mark  Hanna,  upon  which 
occasion  Mr.  Jefferson  was  seated  beside  a  young 
woman  who  was  very  enthusiastic  over  the  per- 
formance of  The  Cricket  on  the  Hearth  which 
she  had  witnessed  the  night  before.  After  tell- 
ing the  actor  how  much  she  appreciated  it  and 
how  she  had  laughed  and  cried,  she  spoke  of 
Tilly  Slowboy,  and  the  lady  playing  the 
part. 

"  I  think  she  was  the  funniest  thing  I  ever 
saw!  and  so  ugly!  and  oh,  such  a  funny  turn-up 
little  nose!  Tell  me,  Mr.  Jefferson,  how  do  you 
get  people  of  that  kind?  Where  do  you  pick 
them  up?" 

Mr.  Jefferson's  eyes  twinkled  with  fun  as  he 
replied: 

"Oh,  that  is  not  such  a  difficult  matter!  We 
do  not  have  to  go  so  far.  Sometimes  we  find 
them  right  in  our  own  family.  Tilly  Slowboy 
is  my  sister." 

The  Theatre  Magazine  published  an  article 


1 6     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

by  C.  Edwin  Booth  Grossman,  the  grandson 
of  Edwin  Booth,  in  which  he  gives  a  vivid  pen 
picture  of  a  day's  fishing  trip  at  Palm  Beach 
with  his  grandfather's  old  friend.     He  says: 

"  It  is  not  my  intention,  even  were  it  in  my 
power,  to  write  here  of  the  art  of  Joseph  Jefifer- 
son,  but  I  have  a  memory  of  Mr.  Jefferson 
which  recalls  one  of  my  happiest  experiences. 
In  the  far  South,  where  the  sky  is  a  burning 
blue,  with  lazy  buzzards  forever  circling  high 
in  the  air,  and  tall  palms  sway  in  the  languid 
breeze,  here  amid  this  tropical  scenery,  far  from 
the  cold  unrest  of  the  North,  the  old  actor  was 
wont  to  spend  his  winters,  and  here  it  was  one 
day  that  he  asked  me  to  go  fishing. 

"  My  earliest  recollection  of  Mr.  Jefiferson 
was  when,  quite  a  small  boy,  I  was  taken  to  a 
performance  of  Rip  Van  Winkle.  After  the 
curtain  he  came  to  the  rear  of  the  box  and 
stooped  down  and  kissed  me.  I  remember  be- 
ing especially  amazed  by  his  long  white  beard, 
for  he  had  not  removed  his  '  make-up.' 

"  I  called  on  him  at  his  Southern  home,  and 
he  cautiously  led  up  to  the  subject  of  fishing — 
his  favourite  pastime  next  to  painting,  at  which 
he  was  a  true  artist — and  he  asked,  as  though 
there  were  a  chance  that  perhaps  I  was  not  so 
enthusiastic  an  angler: 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  17 

"'Are  you  fond  of  fishing?' 

"  On  my  answering  in  the  affirmative,  with  a 
poor  attempt  to  rival  his  own  unbounded  en- 
thusiasm, a  date  was  set  for  the  following  day  at 
nine  o'clock  sharp! 

"What  a  day  it  was!  A  trout  fisherman 
might  possibly  have  quarrelled  with  the  bril- 
liant sun,  but  no  such  anxieties  troubled  me. 
Glad  with  the  joy  of  the  bracing  air  and  the 
tropical  luxuriance  of  colour,  I  was  ready  at 
the  landing  full  twenty  minutes  before  nine. 
Exactly  on  the  hour  Mr.  Jefiferson  appeared  in 
his  tricycle  chair  and  hailed  me  with  a  wave  of 
his  hand.  He  jumped  out  of  the  chair,  agile  as 
a  boy,  his  face  radiant  and  his  blue  eyes  filled 
with  the  expectation  of  a  good  day's  sport. 

"The  little  launch  which  was  to  carry  us  to 
the  point  where  the  lake  flows  into  the  sea,  was 
ready,  and  as  soon  as  we  got  ourselves  and  the- 
lunch  and  fishing-tackle  on  board,  we  were  ofif. 
Mr.  Jefferson  donned  a  many-pocketed  fishing 
coat,  and  adjusted  a  checked  'kerchief  under 
his  wide-brimmed  hat,  which  flapped  gaily  in 
the  wind,  and  served  to  keep  the  burning  sun 
from  his  neck.  In  order  to  get  the  full  glory 
of  the  morning  air  we  sat  up  on  top  of  the 
launch.  Presently  Mr.  Jefferson,  who  was  busy 
tying  on  a  new  hook,  looked  up  and  said: 


1 8     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

"'Do  you  like  fishing,  my  son?' 

"  I  answered  that  I  was  very  fond  of  the 
sport. 

"'That's  right!  I'm  very  fond  of  it  myself. 
I  come  out  here  every  day.' 

"  Good  or  bad  luck,  it  made  no  difference  to 
him,  he  found  a  world  of  pleasure  in  the  great 
out-of-doors. 

"  He  sat  in  silence  as  we  speeded  through  the 
blue  water.  Presently  I  approached  him  on 
the  subject  which  was  uppermost  in  my 
thoughts. 

" '  Do  you  consider  acting  the  highest  form  of 
art?'  I  asked.  His  answer  was  quick  and  em- 
phatic. 

"'Oh,  yes!  Certainly  I  do.  Of  course,  there 
are  plenty  of  people  who  deny  that  acting  is 
an  art,  but  I  hold  that  it  is  a  very  high  art.  It 
is  foolish  to  think  otherwise.  It  may  not  be  so 
much  the  art  of  production;  but  it's  the  art  of 
reproduction — that's  it!  To  be  able  to  repro- 
duce night  after  night  the  same  emotions  and 
effects  that  you  portrayed  the  first  night!  Gra- 
cious, isn't  that  art? 

"'Look  at  me!'  he  went  on,  while  Billy,  the 
skipper's  mate,  split  open  clams,  '  no  matter 
how  long  I  play  a  part — a  hundred  nights  or  a 
thousand — I  must  play  that  part  exactly  the 
same  at  the  last  performance  as  I  did  at  the  first. 


'asct^-- 


Phoio  by  .Mr«.  Rolsnd  Xi.k«T!o„ 

THE    FISHERMAN    SPINNING   A    YARN 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  19 

And  how  am  I  going  to  do  that?  It's  all  well 
enough  to  talk  about  inspiration  of  the  moment, 
but  suppose  that  doesn't  come,  and  if  I  don't 
know  how  to  bring  about  the  same  effect  with- 
out the  inspiration,  where  am  I?' 

"  By  this  time  we  had  reached  the  end  of  the 
lake,  and  with  the  aid  of  the  skipper,  Billy, 
brought  around  the  small  rowboat  to  the  side 
of  the  launch,  holding  it  steady  while  Mr.  Jef- 
ferson took  his  seat  in  the  stern.  Then  we  shoved 
ofT  from  the  now  anchored  launch,  and  with 
strong  strokes  of  the  oars  Billy  rowed  us  into  the 
middle  of  the  narrow  channel  through  which 
the  water  from  the  lake  rushed  madly,  foaming 
and  seething  as  it  met  the  roaring  breakers  on 
the  beach  beyond. 

"Now  the  sport  began  in  earnest.  The  fish 
appeared  to  be  ravenous,  and  one  after  another 
of  the  gamey  fellows  were  landed  in  the  net, 
and  so  we  fished  on  hour  after  hour  until  the 
cool  breeze  and  the  work  of  playing  and  landing 
the  fish  whetted  our  appetites.  Reeling  in  our 
lines,  we  partook  of  the  excellent  luncheon  pre- 
pared for  us.  Mr.  Jefiferson  frequently  re- 
marked on  the  beauty  of  the  scene. 

" '  Beautiful  colour  out  there  in  the  ocean,'  he 
said.  '  See  those  hazy  clouds  hanging  low  on 
the  horizon?  that's  what  I'd  like  to  paint.' 

"When    we    had    finished    our    lunch    once 


20     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

more  we  cast  our  lines;  and  almost  immediately 
Mr.  Jefferson's  line  went  whizzing  from  the 
reel.  He  had  hooked  a  red-snapper.  He  sat 
very  quiet,  playing  the  rod  skilfully,  until  pres- 
ently the  fish,  tired  from  his  mad  plunges,  was 
landed  in  the  net. 

"  Mr.  Jefferson  smiled  with  satisfaction.  The 
sport  continued  until  the  sky  had  begun  to  turn 
a  pale  saffron,  when  once  more  we  regained  the 
launch.  Tired  after  his  day's  work,  Mr.  Jeffer- 
son sat  back  in  his  comfortable  chair,  saying 
little,  absorbed  in  the  wondrous  beauty  of  the 
tropical  sunset.  As  we  glided  slowly  up  the 
lake,  leaving  a  long  strip  of  white  in  the  deep 
blue  of  the  water,  drowsy  pelicans  flapped  by  on 
their  way  to  roost,  or  a  solitary  heron,  disturbed 
from  his  perch  high  in  a  palmetto,  sailed  quietly 
from  sight  into  the  deepening  orange  of  the 
evening  sky. 

"  Presently  Mr.  Jefferson  commenced  talk- 
ing, half  to  himself,  and  as  though  inspired  by 
the  beauty  of  the  approaching  night.    He  said: 

" '  I  am  a  firm  believer  in  the  school  of  nature. 
The  great  open  world  offers  everything  to  him 
who  knows  how  to  seek  for  knowledge;  acad- 
emies can  not  teach  the  artist. 

" '  I  am  also  strongly  convinced,'  he  went  on, 
*  in  the  power  of  the  mind  to  overcome  all  obsta- 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON      .  21 

cles;  firmly  believe  that  you  can  do  a  thing,  and 
it  is  half  accomplished.' 

"  It  was  natural  that  he  should  at  length 
speak  of  my  grandfather  (Edwin  Booth),  who 
for  many  years  cherished  a  loving  friendship 
with  Mr.  Jefferson.  It  was  good  to  hear  him 
speak  of  him  as  he  did ;  and  he  ended  by  saying: 

"  '  My  gracious !  it  doesn't  seem  possible ;  why, 
I  knew  your  grandfather  before  he  was  mar- 
ried to  ;^our  grandmother !  How  time  does  pass ! 
Yes,  Edwin  Booth  was  a  great  actor;  but  a 
greater  man.' 

"  So  he  talked  on,  recalling  the  years  of  the 
past  with  his  wonderful  memory.  He  spoke  in 
a  far-off  voice,  as  though  he  were  living  again 
in  the  time  gone  by;  and  then  his  eyes  seemed 
to  be  scanning  the  mysterious  scroll  of  the  fu- 
ture. 

"  The  short  twilight  passed  away,  leaving  a 
rosy  tinge  about  the  edge  of  the  blue  dome  of 
night,  and  one  by  one  the  diamond  stars  ap- 
peared, and  we  were  home. 

"  Mr.  Jefferson  removed  his  hat  and  allowed 
the  breezes  to  blow  through  his  hair,  and  rais- 
ing his  face  to  the  starry  sky,  said,  '  I  believe 
that  some  day  we  shall  know  all  about  those 
stars.' " 

For   many   years   Mr.   Jefferson   had   made 


2  2     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

Louisiana  his  place  of  rest  during  the  winter 
months  when  he  was  not  acting,  but  as  the  sea- 
sons seemed  to  grow  colder  he  changed  his  resi- 
dence about  the  year  1898. 

Having  heard  of  Palm  Beach  and  its  wonder- 
ful climate,  he  went  there  at  first  to  learn 
personally  of  the  virtues  and  attractions  of  the 
resort.  Very  soon  he  decided  to  make  it  his  win- 
ter home.  He  became  interested  to  such  an  ex- 
tent that  he  made  large  investments  in  real 
estate  at  West  Palm  Beach,  and  quietly  watched 
its  development,  enjoying  the  rapid  transforma- 
tion in  process. 

He  bought  a  number  of  lots,  upon  which  he 
had  erected  several  winter  villas  facing  Lake 
Worth. 

Later  a  large  brick  structure  was  decided 
upon,  known  as  "Jefferson  Block." 

In  1901  he  bought  20  acres,  just  south  of  the 
town,  and  had  it  laid  out  in  building  lots.  These 
also  bore  his  name,  being  called  "Jefferson's 
Lake  View  Extension."  These  were  soon  filled 
with  private  residences. 

From  time  to  time  he  bought  additional  land, 
and  later  on  built  what  was  known  as  the  "  New 
Jefiferson  Block." 

In  1903  application  was  made  for  a  charter 
for  an  Electric  Light,   Ice  and   Power  Com- 


;i^U\> 


FISHING  ON   LAKE  WORTH 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  23 

pany  in  which  Mr.  Jefiferson  was  the  controll- 
ing stockholder,  the  other  stockholders  being 
leading  business  men.  The  company  bought 
out  the  old  ice  plant  and  erected  a  new  one. 
Mr.  Jefferson  frequently  visited  West  Palm 
Beach,  seated  in  his  tricycle  chair  with  his  valet 
Carl  mounted  behind,  and  became  a  familiar 
figure,  not  only  to  the  citizens,  but  to  visitors 
also. 

When  the  news  of  his  death  reached  the  city, 
an  immense  crowd  assembled  at  the  board-of- 
trade  rooms  in  response  to  a  call  from  Dr.  E. 
L.  Moore,  the  president  of  the  board,  and  it 
was  promptly  agreed  that  all  business  be  sus- 
pended. A  paper  was  drawn  up  to  this  effect, 
and  was  signed  by  every  merchant  in  town,  in- 
cluding the  Syrian  merchants  and  Wo  Kee,  the 
Chinaman. 

Resolutions  drawn  up  at  this  meeting  were 
unanimously  accepted  and  read  as  follows: 

"  By  his  death  our  young  city  loses  a  special 
friend  whose  confidence  in  the  future  of  Lake 
Worth,  evidenced  by  his  large  investments  here, 
gave  an  impetus  to  the  growth  of  the  place  that 
has  done  us  all  more  substantial  good  than  one 
can  now  express,  and  which  has  entitled  him  to 
the  frequent  name  among  us  of  '  Benefactor  of 
the  town.' 


24     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

''  During  his  residence  in  and  around  our  com- 
munity, covering  a  space  of  nearly  ten  years,  he 
has  taken  a  kindly  interest  in  every  enterprise 
and  charity,  and  by  his  advice  and  generous  do- 
nations has  called  forth  the  respect  and  affec- 
tion of  every  heart. 

"  Now,  therefore,  be  it  resolved  by  the  Mayor 
and  Council  of  the  City  of  West  Palm  Beach  in 
special  meeting  assembled,  that  while  all  Amer- 
ica is  mourning  the  loss  of  a  far-famed  country- 
man who  has  excelled  in  the  arts  and  in  a  pub- 
lic career,  brought  lustre  and  world-wide  repu- 
tation upon  it, — we  of  West  Palm  Beach,  Flor- 
ida, mourn  also,  still  more  deeply,  one  who  has 
lived  among  us  and  who  has  won  our  sincerest 
love  by  his  simple  and  honourable  life  as  a  pri- 
vate citizen." 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  25 


CHAPTER  II 

BUZZARDS  BAY 

As  my  mother  plaintively  chanted  the  theme,  "  Sweet, 
Sweet  Home,"  realising  their  own  cruel  exile,  the  pigs 
squealed  most  dismally  ,  .  .  although  the  grunting  was  not 
altogether  in  harmony  with  the  music,  it  was  in  perfect 
sympathy  with  the  sentiment. 

Joseph  Jefferson. 

GROWS  NEST,  as  Mr.  Jefferson's  home 
at  Buzzards  Bay  was  called,  received 
its  name  because  of  a  large  nest  built 
under  the  oaves.  The  first  house  bearing  this 
name  was  built  in  1889,  but  was  destroyed  by 
fire  on  the  first  day  of  April,  1893.  The  fire 
was  caused  by  an  overflow  from  the  tank  con- 
taining fluid  which  gave  light  to  the  house.  An 
explosion  took  place  in  the  cellar,  where  a  num- 
ber of  people  were  at  work  trying  to  mop  up  the 
fluid,  and  all  were  more  or  less  injured  before 
they  could  make  their  escape. 

At  the  time  of  the  fire  Mr.  Jefferson  was  ab- 
sent. We  received  a  telegram  from  him  later, 
saying:  "My  house  at  Buzzards  Bay  burned 
to  the  ground.  No  lives  lost,  thank  God."   But 


26     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

he  was  mistaken.  He  did  not  know,  at  the  time 
he  sent  the  telegram,  that  the  life  of  a  faithful 
old  friend  had  been  lost  in  the  fire, — Ellen,  the 
cook.  She  had  been  in  his  family  for  twenty- 
five  years  and  looked  upon  herself  as  a  mem- 
ber, always  kissing  Mr.  JefTerson  good-bye  when 
he  left  home  to  fulfill  his  winter's  engage- 
ments, and  always  among  the  first  to  greet  him 
in  the  same  way,  on  his  return ;  and  I  know  she 
was  mourned  as  sincerely  as  though  she  had 
been  a  member  of  the  family. 

There  was  no  fire  department  at  Buzzards 
Bay,  but  the  natives  worked  hard  to  save  what 
they  could  from  the  burning  building,  much 
labour  being  given  to  rescuing  a  modern,  up- 
right piano  decidedly  out  of  tune,  while  a  price- 
less antique  cabinet,  brought  from  Europe,  in- 
laid with  china  plaques  and  wonderfully  carved 
(its  mate  being  at  present  in  the  Metropolitan 
Museum  in  New  York),  stood  near. — But  the 
piano  was  saved!  (and  the  owner  most  grateful 
even  for  that) . 

Many  things  were  destroyed  which  it  would 
be  impossible  to  replace.  A  palette  used  by 
the  great  painter  Corot,  also  a  copy  of  Mr. 
Jefferson's  autobiography,  which  had  been  in- 
terleaved with  sketches  and  paintings  by  artists, 
scenes  of  the  places  mentioned  in  the  book,  and 
original  letters  from  old  actors  and  prominent 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  27 

people,  making  a  most  valuable  collection. 
Among  the  many  paintings  lost  was  a  portrait 
of  Mrs.  Siddons  by  Sir  Joshua  Reynolds,  one 
of  Reynolds  by  himself,  many  fine  examples  of 
Corot,  Daubigny,  Troyon,  Rousseau,  Mauve, 
and  many  others. 

The  first  time  the  writer  saw  Mr.  Jefferson 
after  the  fire  had  occurred,  she  said  to  him: 
"Oh,  Father,  how  unfortunate!  All  your  beau- 
tiful pictures  gone!"  To  which  he  replied: 
"Never  mind,  my  dear,  think  what  fun  I  am 
going  to  have  buying  more!" 

The  insurance  on  this  house  and  its  furnish- 
ings was  ridiculously  small  compared  with  the 
value  of  the  articles  which  were  in  it — espe- 
cially the  paintings  and  the  library — but  even 
at  that  the  company  sent  their  agent  to 
protest  against  the  sum  Mr.  Jefferson  had  set 
down  for  loss  of  his  personal  wardrobe,  which 
was  about  two  thousand  dollars.  They  wished 
to  know  if  that  was  not  a  large  estimate  to  make. 
Mr.  Jefferson  said  that  he  thought  not,  as  this 
included  his  private  as  well  as  his  stage  ward- 
robe. One  coat  alone,  the  one  worn  by  Bob 
Acres  in  The  Rivals,  was  hand  embroid- 
ered (for  which  he  had  paid  five  hundred  dol- 
lars) and  had  Duchess  lace  at  the  neck  and 
sleeves. 

A  letter  written  to  his  son  Charles,  shortly 


2  8     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

after  the  fire,  will  give  some  idea  of  the  system- 
atic way  in  which  Mr.  Jefferson  went  to  work 
to  secure  actual  valuations. 

Mr.  Jefiferson's  first  collection  of  paintings 
was  entirely  destroyed  in  the  fire,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  a  Mauve  picture,  which  was  then, 
fortunately,  on  exhibition  at  the  World's  Fair 
at  Chicago,  and  a  few  others  which  he  had 
loaned  to  different  colleges  or  which  were  in 
the  hands  of  art  dealers,  for  exchange  or  to  be 
sold.  He  had  just  added  a  gallery  to  his  house 
for  these  pictures,  and  the  workmen  were  put- 
ting the  finishing  touches  on  the  outside.  Not 
only  his  paintings,  but  priceless  souvenirs  which 
could  never  be  replaced,  including  furniture, 
embroideries,  and  objects  of  art,  were  destroyed 
by  the  flames. 

The  following  year  he  rebuilt  the  house  upon 
the  same  site. 

A  Cloisonne  vase  which  had  withstood  the 
heat  of  the  fire,  losing  only  its  silver  inlaid  wire 
and  coming  from  the  ordeal  without  changing 
its  beautiful  shape,  but  with  subdued  colouring, 
was  built  into  one  corner  of  the  new  house  and 
stands  as  a  souvenir  among  the  rough  stones. 
Every  year  Mr.  Jefferson  would  plant  a  moon- 
flower  vine  in  this,  which  ran  up  and  beyond  the 
second-story  windows. 


• *  /^        * 


/t.^.^.^     /  /7L^6    ^ 


'-^^O 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  29 

There  were  many  original  ideas  of  his  own 
introduced  into  this  new  home,  one  being  the 
newel  posts  up  the  stairway;  these  were  origin- 
ally the  carved  posts  of  mahogany  tester  beds, 
which  Mr.  Jefiferson  purchased  in  antique 
shops.  The  corner  posts  he  had  sawn  in  half 
and  built  at  intervals  in  the  stairway. 

The  centre  panel  of  his  dining-room  ceiling 
was  the  carved  top  of  a  table,  an  old  plaque  in 
the  centre,  from  which  hung  the  chandelier,  and 
surrounding  this  panel  were  old  Dutch  plates. 
In  the  original  dining-room  he  had  a  bordering 
of  these  plates  around  the  outer  edge  of  the  ceil- 
ing. He  had  brought  them  himself  from  abroad ; 
but  before  the  decoration  was  finished  the  plates 
gave  out,  and  he  was  obliged  to  buy  some  plain 
white  ones  (matching  the  originals  in  size  and 
shape,  as  well  as  he  could) ,  and  paint  them  him- 
self. When  placed  on  the  ceiling,  it  was  hard 
to  distinguish  them.  But  to  the  guests,  the  ac- 
tor's sons  never  failed  to  point  them  out,  saying 
with  good-natured  banter:  "That's  a  Pop!" 

A  workman  about  the  place,  during  the  ab- 
sence of  the  family,  was  overheard  to  say  in  his 
description  of  this  room  to  a  party  who  had 
asked  permission  to  see  the  house:  "Them's  old 
Dutch  plates  in  the  ceiling;  Mr.  Jefiferson 
brought  them  himself  from  Jerusalem." 


30     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

The  chimneys  were  built  of  broken  art  tiles, 
dififering  in  shape  and  colour,  and  at  the  top 
were  stone  seltzer-water  bottles  turned  upside 
down  and  built  closely  together — blending  har- 
moniously with  the  colouring  of  the  tiles.  When 
the  wind  blew,  the  open  mouths  of  the  bottles 
caused  a  soft  cooing  sound  which  made  one  un- 
familiar with  the  secret  wonder  where  it  came 
from. 

Everywhere  about  the  place  one  was  im- 
pressed with  the  originality  and  versatility  of 
the  owner. 

In  the  dining-room  the  mantelpiece  reached 
to  the  ceiling.  It  was  massive  and  richly  carved. 
Part  of  it  came  from  India,  while  the  old  Dutch 
tiles  surrounding  the  fireplace,  Mr.  Jefiferson 
had  himself  bought  from  the  house  once  owned 
by  Quentin  Matsys,  known  as  the  "Blacksmith 
Artist"  of  Holland. 

In  the  music-room  stood  the  guitar  upon 
which  at  one  time  Mr.  Jefferson  played,  accom- 
panying himself,  while  he  sang. 

Many  who  were  frequent  guests  at  Mr.  Jef- 
ferson's home  have  passed  away,  among  them 
Edwin  Booth  and  Sol  Smith  Russell,  with 
whom  he  used  to  "  swap  "  stories,  and  who  al- 
ways enjoyed  a  romp  with  the  grandchildren  of 
his  host,  some  of  whom  were  always  to  be  found 
at  the  "  big  house." 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  31 

Old  Mr.  Couldock  was  also  one  of  Mr.  Jef- 
ferson's most  frequent  guests.  He  was  a  famil- 
iar figure  upon  the  front  lawn,  engaged  in  his 
favourite  pastime  of  casting  a  fly  and  reeling  in 
an  imaginary  trout  or  salmon.  As  an  expert  in 
the  art  of  fly  fishing  he  never  allowed  himself  to 
get  out  of  practice. 

When  Mr.  Couldock  became  too  old  to  act, 
a  benefit  was  given  him  by  the  theatrical  pro- 
fession in  which  Mr.  Jefferson  took  a  great  in- 
terest, both  financially  and  professionally.  He 
also  suggested  that  the  large  sum  of  money 
raised  upon  this  occasion  be  invested  for  his 
friend,  and  that  only  $25  a  week  be  allowed 
Mr.  Couldock. 

"  Otherwise,"  said  Mr.  Jefferson,  "  he  will 
give  it  all  away  to  his  friends  in  distress." 

"  I  feared,"  said  Mr.  Jefiferson  later,  "  that 
Couldock  would  be  hurt  when  he  learned  of 
this  arrangement,  but  when  I  told  him,  he 
laughed  and  said  that  perhaps  it  was  the  safest 
thing  to  do." 

JOSEPH   JEFFERSON'S   TRIBUTE  TO  COULDOCK 

"Nothing  could  be  more  beautiful  or  more 
useful  than  the  social,  domestic,  and  professional 
life  of  my  dear  old  friend,  Charles  W.  Coul- 
dock. We  have  been  known  to  each  other  for 
forty  years. 


32     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

"  His  big  heart  and  slender  purse  were  open 
at  all  times  to  those  who  had  '  fallen  by  the  way- 
side.' As  father,  husband,  and  friend  he  was 
true  and  affectionate.  I  have  been  by  my  late 
illness  denied  the  privilege  of  seeing  him,  but 
my  daughter,  who  was  a  constant  visitor  to  his 
bedside,  brought  me  the  consoling  intelligence 
that  he  was  fully  resigned  and  happy  to  the  very 
last." 

Buttermilk  Bay  received  its  name  from  the 
action  of  the  tide,  which,  under  certain  condi- 
tions, churns  its  ripples  into  a  white  foam. 

The  Jefferson  estate  lay  along  the  shore  of 
this  beautiful  little  body  of  water,  at  the  begin- 
ning of  Cape  Cod,  and  upon  it  were  built  six 
cottages.  Partly  hidden  from  view  by  the  pines 
and  fine  oaks,  which  grew  to  the  water's  edge,  it 
was  an  ideal  spot,  and  thither  the  different 
branches  of  the  family  of  Joseph  Jefferson  re- 
turned year  after  year  from  their  winter  wan- 
derings. 

It  was  a  large  family, — twenty-six  in  all, — 
and  it  was  Mr.  Jefferson's  wish  that  each  branch 
should  build  a  house  near  his  own.  For  this 
purpose  he  gave  to  each  of  his  five  sons,  his 
daughter,  and  his  sister,  Mrs.  Cornelia  Jackson, 
("Auntie  Con,"   as   she  was  called),   a  num- 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  33 

ber  of  acres  of  shore  property  on  the  east  side  of 
the  bay.  This  was  done  with  the  understand- 
ing that  they  should  build  their  own  houses  and 
spend  their  summers  near  the  "  big  house  "  (as  it 
was  called  by  the  family).  There,  during  the 
summer  months,  we  would  frequently  surprise 
him  of  an  evening  by  appearing  in  a  body,  with 
our  guests,  all  in  costumes  representing  popular 
characters.  Carl,  his  valet,  being  let  into  the  se- 
cret, would  manage  to  have  Mr.  Jefiferson  in 
the  hall  at  a  certain  time,  and  then  we  would  all 
troop  in,  Carl  making  the  announcement  of  each 
character  in  his  German  dialect,  which  was 
amusing  (though  somewhat  misleading),  as  he 
repeated  aloud  the  name — whispered  by  each 
guest — of  the  character  represented  by  them. 
"Madame  Cleopatra  —  Queen  of  a  Mile" 
(the  Nile),  "Teddyadore  Roosevelt,"  "Sis 
Hopkins,"  "  Happy  Hooligan,"  and  "  Sunny 
Jim!" 

We  were  so  alone  in  our  colony  on  the  shore 
of  the  little  bay  that  it  permitted  us  to  take  de- 
lightful liberties  with  the  conventionalities.  On 
one  occasion  the  writer  sent  the  family  an  in- 
formal invitation  to  an  afternoon  porch  party. 
Mr.  Jefferson  had  just  bought  some  beautiful 
Japanese  robes,  and  each  member  of  the  family 
having  been  requested  to  dress  in  one  of  these. 


34     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

my  guests  appeared  strolling  through  the  woods, 
like  recent  arrivals  from  the  Orient.  Mr.  Jef- 
ferson remarked  that  it  was  a  fortunate  thing 
that  no  sightseers  happened  to  be  driving 
through  the  place  just  at  that  time,  as  they  might 
have  been  somewhat  surprised,  if  not  startled. 
It  was  quite  evident  that  the  coachman  and  gar- 
dener were. 

We  had  formed  a  weekly  club  among  the 
members  of  the  family.  At  the  time  of  its  or- 
ganisation in  the  early  spring,  before  all  the 
male  members  of  the  family  had  returned  to 
the  Bay,  there  was  but  one  man  among  us.  As  he 
remarked,  upon  being  elected  president,  "  It  was 
nearly  a  '  hen '  club,"  so  thereafter  it  was  al- 
ways called  the  "  Nearly."  Every  Saturday 
night  we  would  meet  at  a  different  house,  the 
form  of  entertainment  varying  with  the  inge- 
nuity or  talent  of  the  entertainer.  Sometimes  it 
would  be  a  musical  evening,  sometimes  games, 
of  which  we  were  very  fond,  and  into  which  Mr. 
Jefferson  would  enter  with  as  much  enthusiasm 
as  the  youngest  member  of  the  family;  for  all, 
old  and  young,  were  included  in  these  even- 
ings. At  other  times  we  would  play  cards. 
One  evening  Mr.  Jefferson  brought  Mr.  Sol 
Smith  Russell  with  him  to  one  of  these  meet- 
inge.    Mr.  Russell  apologised  for  ROt  knowing 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  35 

much  about  cards;  Mr.  Jefferson  assured  his 
friend  that  he  knew  as  much  about  them  as  he 
did.  When  all  had  found  their  partners, — 
which  was  done  through  small  duplicate  bou- 
quets of  flowers, — one  hand  having  been 
played,  Mr.  Russell  disconcerted  his  partner  by 
asking,  as  he  shuffled  the  cards,  "  Let  me  see, — 
this  is  the  game  with  a  joker,  isn't  it?  " 

And  we  were  playing  whist! 

The  most  popular  evening,  and  one  which 
Mr.  Jefferson  enjoyed  most,  was  that  given  to 
pantomime  plays,  in  which  the  principal  scene 
from  a  well-known  play  was  acted  without  a 
word  being  spoken.  The  audience  would  be 
allowed  three  guesses  as  to  the  name  of  the  play, 
but,  failing  to  name  it  in  a  certain  time,  was 
obliged  to  change  places  with  the  actors  and  give 
a  scene  in  turn.  Some  of  the  "  make-ups"  and 
costumes  for  these  plays  were  wonderful,  as 
everything,  scenery,  properties,  etc.,  had  to  be 
impromptu,  and  anything  from  a  railroad  train 
to  a  buffalo  was  necessarily  improvised.  It  mat- 
tered little  that  the  buffalo's  hide  was  the  bear- 
skin rug,  the  fairy's  skirt  a  dainty  lamp-shade, 
or  the  Persian  costume  a  portion  of  drapery 
from  the  cosy  corner.  The  cottage,  rich  in 
trophies  from  all  parts  of  the  country,  knew  no 
limit.    "What  am  I?    An  Indian?"    "Sure," 


36     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

and  a  chiefs  blanket  and  war  bonnet  would  dis- 
appear from  the  hall  fireplace. 

"And  I — a  Japanese?  Easy!"  and  down 
would  come  an  embroidered  Chinese  wedding- 
gown  which  had  ornamented  the  wall.  No  mat- 
ter if  the  house  did  look  as  though  a  cyclone  had 
swept  through  it  when  the  guests  departed; 
merry  hearts  and  busy  hands  soon  put  things 
to  rights  again. 

On  one  of  these  occasions  the  elder  Mrs.  John 
Drew  and  her  granddaughter,  Ethel  Barrymore, 
were  among  the  guests,  and  Mr.  Jefferson  had 
selected  a  scene  from  a  play  in  which  he  imper- 
sonated a  little  child  in  a  Dutch  cap  (made  from 
a  tea-table  cover).  There  seemed  to  be  trouble 
in  the  family  in  this  play,  and  somebody  was 
turned  out  of  doors,  at  which  the  Dutch  cap 
appeared  to  feel  very  badly,  and  one  character 
(played  by  a' man  in  a  woman's  costume,  much 
too  short  even  for  Gretchen),  wept  and  threw 
herself  upon  the  floor.  The  electric  lights  were 
flashed  on  and  off  for  lightning;  the  fire-irons 
were  rattled  loudly  on  the  hearth  for  thunder, 
and  then  the  portieres  were  drawn. 

The  audience  were  asked  to  guess  the  play. 
Needless  to  say,  it  did  not  take  three  guesses  for 
them  to  do  so,  even  though  they  were  not  famil- 
iar with  Joseph  Jefferson  in  the  character  of 
little  Mcenie  Van  Winkle. 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  zl 

Mrs.  Drew  did  not  take  part  in  the  pro- 
gram save  to  plot  against  us  in  the  selections  of 
the  scenes  to  be  acted,  she,  like  Mr.  Jefferson, 
being  able  to  go  back  so  far  in  memory  that 
we  of  this  generation,  not  being  familiar 
with  the  plays  of  the  last,  were  kept  busy 
guessing. 

Mrs.  Drew  did  not  awe  us  a  particle  that 
evening,  for  she,  who  was  always  so  stately,  so 
dignified  that  she  was  called  by  all  who  knew 
her  (even  by  the  employees  in  her  theatre  in 
Philadelphia),  "  the  Duchess,"  unbent  upon  this 
occasion  and  thoroughly  enjoyed  the  fun. 

On  the  Fourth  of  July  there  was  always  an 
elaborate  celebration  held  at  one  of  the  boat- 
houses  on  the  estate,  the  President  and  Mrs. 
Cleveland,  with  their  friends,  being  among  the 
guests.  There  would  be  fireworks,  a  band  of 
music,  dancing,  and  a  supper  on  the  porch.  On 
one  of  these  occasions,  a  large  "  set "  piece  of  fire- 
works, the  portrait  of  the  President,  failing  to 
go  off  as  it  should,  two  of  the  men  who  were 
managing  the  display  climbed  upon  the  frame- 
work to  give  the  thing  a  start;  but  just  as  they 
did  so,  the  head  decided  to  ''go  off"  of 
its  own  accord,  the  preliminaries  being  a  vol- 
ley of  firecrackers  exploding  and  shooting  in  all 
directions.  The  two  men  dropped  to  the  ground 
and  fled  for  their  lives,  amid  shouts  of  laughter. 


38     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

The  wife  of  the  President  afterward  remarked 
that  intelligence  always  told  in  the  end. 

The  natives  of  Cape  Cod  used  to  attend  these 
displays  and  would  line  the  shores  of  Butter- 
milk Bay. 

From  former  experiences,  Mr.  Jefferson's  sis- 
ter, Mrs.  Jackson,  had  tied  a  rope  for  pro- 
tection among  the  trees  surrounding  a  small 
bed  of  lilies,  which  was  dignified  by  the  name 
of  "  Lily  Park  "  (being  about  the  size  of  a  large 
dining-table).  Having  to  return  to  her  house 
in  the  dark,  and  forgetting  all  about  the  rope, 
she  was  the  first  to  fall  over  it,  and  afterward 
declared,  in  relating  her  experience,  that  she 
"got  lost  in  her  own  lily  park  I" 

Mr.  Jeflferson's  love  of  home  and  family  was 
very  great;  he  loved  the  retirement  from  public 
and  social  life  those  summer  months  afforded 
him.  I  remember  his  speaking  of  his  embar- 
rassment when  at  a  large  Christmas  dinner 
given  to  him  and  Mrs.  Jefferson,  the  doors  lead- 
ing into  the  drawing-room  were  thrown  open, 
and  there  in  the  centre  of  the  room  stood  a  large 
Christmas  tree  brilliantly  illuminated  and  hung 
with  gifts  varying  from  the  beautiful  to  the 
ridiculous — and  every  one  of  them  labelled 
"  For  Joseph  Jefferson." 


z    - 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  39 


CHAPTER  III 

THE  COLLECTOR 

No  man  is  fit  to  live  without  a  hobby, — if  it  be  for  pic- 
tures he  is  a  happy  man. 

Joseph  Jefferson. 

A  T  home  Joseph  Jefferson  was  not  the  actor. 
/-\  A  glance  about  stamped  him  as  the  col- 
lector who  had  gathered  from  all  parts 
of  the  world  the  best  examples  of  the  arts.  Ori- 
ental embroideries,  old  silver,  tapestries,  and 
wood  carvings  adorned  his  rooms  and  fine  rugs 
covered  the  floors.  His  fondness  for  rich  colour- 
ing was  evident,  and  everywhere  his  love  of  the 
beautiful  was  displayed  in  his  selection  of  these 
works  of  art. 

It  was  among  his  pictures,  however,  that  his 
friends  found  him  a  great  entertainer.  His 
sense  of  appreciation  and  his  knowledge  of  art 
gave  him  a  true  and  sincere  pleasure  in  his 
paintings. 

Mr.  Jefferson's  inspiration  in  art  dated  from 
the  purchase  of  an  early  painting  by  Corot, 
which  formed  the  basis  of  his  first  collection. 


40     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

This  picture  was  highly  prized,  and  was  hung 
among  his  later  and  more  valuable  works. 
Strange  to  say,  it  also  encouraged  him  to  build 
up  a  second  collection  after  the  first  had  been 
destroyed,  and  it  will  always  remain  a  treasured 
object. 

Together  with  an  example  of  each  of  the 
great  artists,  Mauve,  Israels  and  Daubigny,  this 
Corot  had  been  saved.  They  had  been  loaned  to 
an  exhibition  in  New  York  and  returned  to  Buz- 
zards Bay  the  day  before  his  first  house  was 
burned.  Being  still  in  their  packing  boxes,  they 
were  easily  removed  to  a  place  of  safety. 

These  few  pictures,  together  with  the  "  Re- 
turn of  the  Flock,"  by  Mauve,  which  was  being 
exhibited  at  the  World's  Fair  in  Chicago,  laid 
the  foundation  of  the  second  collection. 

Mr.  Jefferson's  judgment  of  a  picture,  its  mer- 
its and  its  value,  was  unusually  good;  he  fre- 
quently sent  abroad  for  a  most  valuable  paint- 
ing, judging  it  alone  from  a  photograph,  and  he 
never  made  a  mistake.  He  bought  the  "  Return 
of  the  Flock,"  by  Mauve,  at  a  sale  some  years 
ago  for  two  thousand  five  hundred  dollars;  this 
picture  when  recently  sold  with  his  collection, 
brought  forty-two  thousand  two  hundred  and 
fifty  dollars — the  highest  price  ever  paid  for  a 
Mauve. 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  41 

Conscious  that  only  through  a  most  fortunate 
circumstance  was  this  picture  saved,  Mr.  Jeffer- 
son, in  planning  for  a  new  house,  remarked: 
"My  new  home  shall  be  fireproof,  and  con- 
structed especially  to  receive  and  protect  my 
Mauve." 

This  picture  was  like  a  companion  to  Mr. 
Jefferson,  and  although  he  received  many  offers 
from  private  and  professional  buyers,  he  always 
refused  to  sell  it.  He  wanted  everybody  to  en- 
joy it,  and  even  brought  his  old  boatman  into  the 
house  after  the  picture  was  hung  to  see  it.  Upon 
entering  the  dining-room,  the  painting  faced  one 
from  the  opposite  end  of  the  room,  receiving 
light  from  a  large  landscape  window  on  the 
left,  and  an  overlight  of  electricity  by  night, 
the  room  being  otherwise  in  darkness.  As  the 
old  boatman,  who  was  a  native  of  Cape  Cod, 
looked  upon  the  picture,  he  thought  that  he  dis- 
covered a  familiar  object  in  the  background. 
"  Ah!  Look!"  he  exclaimed,  "she  is  sailing  be- 
fore the  wind!" 

It  would  scarcely  be  possible  for  anyone  to 
derive  more  pleasure  from  a  work  of  art  than 
the  owner  of  the  "  Return  of  the  Flock "  did 
from  his  investment,  for  such  it  proved  to  be. 
One  day  he  led  the  writer  to  the  extreme  left 
of  the  painting,  and,  pointing  to  the  flock  of 


42     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

sheep,  he  inquired:  "In  which  direction  are 
they  going?"  the  reply  was,  "They  are  going 
away  from  us  toward  the  hill  on  the  right."  Mr. 
Jefferson  laughed,  and  led  the  way  across  the 
room.  "Now,  which  direction  are  they  go- 
ing?" he  again  asked,  and  chuckled  with  de- 
light as,  in  surprise,  I  replied:  "Why!  they  are 
going  in  the  opposite  direction!" 

What  most  impressed  one  was  the  large  num- 
ber of  pictures  of  rare  and  unusual  interest 
which  hung  upon  the  walls  of  every  room  in  his 
home,  for  after  the  destruction  of  his  art  gal- 
lery, Mr.  Jefferson  declared  that  he  would  never 
build  another. 

Although  he  had  himself  painted  hundreds  of 
pictures,  few  were  hung  in  his  house.  The  wall 
space  was  monopolised  by  the  works  of  the  great 
masters,  and  all  of  his  paintings  were  hung  with 
a  view  to  producing  the  best  effect.  At  one  time 
a  large  canvas,  by  Mauve,  "  The  Loggers," 
hung  in  the  music-room.  It  was  the  great  pleas- 
ure of  the  owner,  in  showing  this  picture  to  his 
friends,  to  take  them  into  the  adjoining  room 
with  the  painting  behind  them.  Then  he  would 
suddenly  exclaim,  "Now,  turn  around!"  and  at 
their  expressions  of  pleasure  he  would  say, 
"Yes,  its  strength  and  sobriety  are  wonderful; 
I  became  its  owner  after  years  of  devotion  to  it." 


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JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  43 

He  would  then  relate  how  he  first  saw  the  pic- 
ture in  Boston  through  his  friend,  Mr.  Charles 
A.  Walker,  who  took  him  to  the  house  of  a 
mutual  friend,  who  was  then  its  owner.  It 
made  such  an  impression  that  every  time  Mr. 
Jefiferson  played  an  engagement  in  Boston  he 
would  visit  the  house,  and  he  asked  the  owner  if 
at  any  time  the  picture  should  be  offered  for 
sale  he  might  be  the  fortunate  purchaser.  Not 
long  after  this  request  he  became  the  owner  of 
the  painting. 

In  his  fondness  for  the  works  of  Mauve  might 
be  traced  Mr.  Jefferson's  love  for  animals.  He 
often  spoke  of  one  picture, — an  old  white  horse, 
— as  "  an  example  of  exalted  sentiment  and 
poetic  rendering  of  a  subject  which,  if  treated 
in  any  other  way  by  any  other  artist,  would  de- 
scend to  the  commonplace."  This  painting  he 
named  "The  Pensioner." 

Another  painting  by  the  same  artist  was  called 
"The  Old  Dun  Cow."  "She's  a  kindly  old 
cow,"  he  would  say;  "  you  need  never  be  afraid 
of  her  horns." 

Seven  fine  examples  by  Mauve  were  destroyed 
in  the  fire.  The  second  collection  contained 
eleven  examples,  including  what  were  consid- 
ered the  artist's  two  greatest  efforts. 

In  the  early  part  of  his  career  Anton  Mauve 


44     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

worked  much  out  of  doors;  he  was  a  great  stu- 
dent of  nature,  and  began  his  career  by  making 
charcoal  sketches  of  horses  and  cattle;  later  on 
these  studies  included  sheep.  After  the  artist's 
death  Mr.  Jefiferson  obtained  a  number  of  these 
studies  from  the  widow  of  the  painter  through 
correspondence  with  her. 

Mr.  Jefferson's  appreciation  of  the  great  mas- 
ter Israels  was  shown  in  his  almost  reverence  of 
his  masterpiece,  "The  Madonna  of  the  Cot- 
tage." 

The  tenderness  and  spirituality  of  this  picture 
touched  him  so  deeply  that  he  never  wanted  his 
friends  to  get  their  first  impression  of  the  paint- 
ing from  the  canvas  itself.  It  was  hung  in  the 
small  library  on  the  first  floor  of  his  house.  A 
large  mirror  placed  in  one  corner  of  the  room 
reflected  the  picture  so  perfectly,  that  one  stand- 
ing in  the  doorway  upon  entering  the  room  was 
met  with  the  reflection,  which  had  all  the  ap- 
pearance of  being  real. 

The  tender  mother  was  seen  bending  over  the 
infant  upon  her  lap,  gently  drying  the  little  one 
after  its  bath ;  both  figures  being  lighted  by  the 
glow  of  an  open  fire  upon  the  hearth. 

Mr.  Jefferson  bought  this  picture  in  1892.  He 
selected  it  with  rare  care  out  of  many  great 
works  from  Israels'  brush.     It  represented  the 


I 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  45 

best  period  of  the  great  artist's  painting.  The 
title  is  suggested  by  the  picture  of  a  Madonna 
dimly  visible  upon  the  wall  in  the  dark  back- 
ground. After  this  picture  came  into  his  pos- 
session the  owner  corresponded  with  the  artist 
upon  its  merits,  and  received  from  Mr.  Israels 
an  autograph  copy  of  his  book,  "  Travels  in 
Spain."  Upon  the  fly-leaf  of  this  book  Mr.  Jef- 
ferson has  written  the  lines  which  are  repro- 
duced here  in  facsimile. 

In  January  of  1895  Mr.  Jefferson  wrote  a  let- 
ter to  his  son  informing  him  of  the  purchase  of  a 
most  important  work: 

Jan.    15th,  '95. 
My  Dear  Charlie: — 

I  am  glad  to  know  that  you  are  up  again — be  very 
careful,  a  relapse  of  the  grip  is  worse  than  the  first  attack. 

Mr.  Roos,  of  Knoedler  Si  Co.,  was  here  spending  a 
few  days  with  me.  By  his  advice  and,  I  may  add,  by  my 
own  inclination,  I  have  bought  the  "  Burgomaster's  Wife," 
by  Rembrandt.  This  great  and  rare  work  only  costs  me 
$ — ,000.  He  asked  me  not  to  mention  the  price  except  in 
my  own  family,  so  don't  touch  on  that  to  anyone.  With 
love, 

J.  Jefferson. 

Upon  entering  the  hall  at  Crow's  Nest,  one 
came  upon  a  picture  of  Sir  Joshua  Reynolds — 
a  portrait  of  the  artist  himself,  painted  by  him- 
self  In    1770,   when   forty-seven  years   of   age. 


46     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

He  had  just  been  elected  president  of  the 
Royal  Academy.  Another  portrait  of  himself, 
painted  at  a  much  later  period,  hung  in  the  din- 
ing-room. 

The  dramatic  profession  was  well  represented 
in  Mr.  Jefiferson's  collection.  In  the  reception 
room  hung  a  portrait  of  Macready  in  the  char- 
acter of  William  Tell,  by  Henry  Inman.  On 
account  of  its  dramatic  pose,  this  painting  had 
been  named  "  Tragedy."  The  head,  with  hair 
disarranged,  and  flashing  eyes,  is  slightly  turned 
to  the  right.  The  neck  is  bare.  A  white  tunic 
shows  above  a  garment  of  darker  colour  and 
over  the  left  shoulder  is  thrown  a  heavy  fur 
robe. 

A  portrait  of  Calve  as  Carmen  hung  in  the 
main  hall.  This  painting  was  by  a  young 
American  artist  in  whom  Mr.  Jefiferson  had 
taken  a  great  interest,  even  suggesting  that  he 
take  the  name  of  "  Eugene,"  which  name  is 
signed  to  the  picture  of  Calve.  The  great  prima 
donna  was  pleased  to  sit  for  her  portrait  on  ac- 
count of  her  friendship  for  Mr.  Jefferson.  She 
stands  with  her  head  thrown  back  over  her 
shoulder,  one  hand  upon  her  hip,  the  other 
raised  to  her  neck.  Deep  red  roses  cluster  low 
in  her  falling  hair,  and  the  soft  fringes  of  her 
Spanish  costume  are  most  graceful. 


FAC-SIMILE   OF   WRITING   UPON   THE    FLY-LEAF  OF   A    BOOK 
PRESENTED  TO   MR.  JEFFERSON    BY  JOSEF    ISRAELS 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  47 

Among  the  portraits  which  Mr.  Jefferson 
prized  was  one  of  Richard  Brinsley  Sheridan, 
by  Gainsborough,  painted  about  the  time  he 
wrote  The  Rivals.  When  Mr.  Jefferson  re- 
vived Sheridan's  comedy,  he  took  the  liberty  of 
bringing  the  text  up  to  date  and  writing  a  new 
"tag"  (the  lines  ending  the  play),  as  some  of 
the  characters,  as  well  as  the  lines  of  the  comedy, 
were  much  out  of  date.  Sheridan  wrote  the  play 
when  he  was  but  twenty  years  of  age.  Mr. 
Jefferson's  enjoyment  of  the  wit  and  brilliancy 
of  the  dialogue  was  greatest  in  the  lines  spoken 
by  David  in  the  letter  scene,  where  he  says 
to  Bob  Acres,  "  If  you  don't  want  to  disgrace 
your  ancestors,  you  had  better  keep  out  of  their 
company  as  long  as  you  can." 

A  painting  of  Kemble,  by  Harlow,  showed 
the  youthful  actor  seated  at  a  table  in  an  attitude 
of  repose ;  the  book  in  front  of  him  suggests  that 
he  has  been  reading  up  a  new  part  in  a  play. 

If  Mr.  Jefferson  had  a  preference  in  paint- 
ings, it  was  for  the  Dutch  school,  but  he  also  ad- 
mired the  English  painters.  In  his  collection 
were  three  examples  of  Sir  Joshua  Reynolds, 
which  were  often  loaned  to  museums  or  exhibi- 
tions. His  "Portrait  of  Canova,"  by  Sir 
Thomas  Lawrence,  was  also  loaned  several  times 
at  exhibitions  in  New  York  aad  elsewhere. 


48     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

It  gave  Mr.  Jefferson  great  pleasure  to  enter- 
tain artists,  especially  foreigners,  in  his  home. 
A  number  of  artists  visited  America,  coming 
from  Holland,  in  the  summer  of  1904,  to  view 
the  fine  paintings  collected  for  the  World's 
Fair  at  St.  Louis. 

Among  them  was  Bernardus  Johannes  Blom- 
mers,  who,  with  his  wife  and  daughter,  visited 
Mr.  Jefferson  at  Buzzards  Bay,  May  29,  1904. 
The  artist  spoke  our  language  exceedingly  well, 
and  was  delighted  with  the  fine  collection  of 
paintings  in  the  home  of  his  host,  among  which 
was  an  example  of  his  own  work,  called  "  The 
Happy  Family."  At  dinner  Mr.  Blommers  was 
seated  directly  in  front  of  this  picture,  which 
hung  upon  the  opposite  wall.  When  his  eye 
rested  upon  the  picture,  he  acknowledged  the 
compliment  by  saying  that  the  little  act  of  cour- 
tesy was  in  keeping  with  what  he  had  heard 
of  Mr.  Jefferson:  *'You  vas  always  doing 
sometings  what  makes  oders  about  you 
happy." 

When  the  wife  of  the  artist  visited  the  room  in 
which  Israels'  "  Madonna"  was  hung,  she  could 
not  keep  back  the  tears,  and  it  was  with  diffi- 
culty she  informed  us  (partly  on  account  of  be- 
ing unfamiliar  with  the  language)  that  she  had 
seen  the  great  artist  paint  the  picture. 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  49 

Miss  Blommers  spoke  English  exceedingly 
well,  and  a  great  friendship  was  formed  be- 
tween the  granddaughters  of  Mr.  Jefiferson  and 
the  young  girl,  who  was  intensely  interested  in 
everything  American,  and  when  Miss  Lauretta 
Jefiferson  danced  the  cake  walk  for  her  benefit, 
she  was  not  satisfied  until  she  had  tried  it,  and 
perfected  herself  in  the  eccentricities  of  the 
dance  to  take  back  to  her  young  friends  in  Hol- 
land. She  also  joined  in  our  national  game 
(generally  played  by  the  opposite  sex)  of  base- 
ball, which  was  played  for  her  benefit,  as  she 
had  never  seen  the  game. 

In  1894  Albert  Neuhuys  visited  Mr.  Jeffer- 
son and  saw  hanging  in  the  hall  his  picture, 
"  Feeding  the  Baby,"  which  gave  him  great 
pleasure.  He  told  its  owner  that  he  considered 
it  one  of  his  most  successful  efforts,  and  that  he 
had  painted  it  when  he  was  at  his  best. 

Even  when  he  was  quite  ill,  Mr.  Jefferson 
could  not  refrain  from  buying  pictures.  A 
Jacob  Simon  and  a  Hendric  Kever,  "  A  Cup  of 
Tea,"  were  the  last  pictures  he  bought.  These 
purchases  were  made  in  New  York  on  his  way 
South,  where  he  hoped  to  find  health.  He  had 
retired  from  the  stage,  said  his  farewell  to  his 
beloved  public  through  the  press,  and  hoped  to 
find  compensation  in  his  pictures  and  other  oc- 


50     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

cupations  for  what  he  had  given  up  the  pro- 
fession of  a  lifetime. 

When  asked  by  a  friend  why  he  wished  to 
purchase  additional  works  of  art  while  he  was 
so  ill,  his  reply  was: 

"They  give  me  so  much  pleasure;  I  consider 
it  most  fortunate  that  now  that  I  have  given  up 
acting  I  still  have  left  my  love  for  painting  and 
pictures." 

These  paintings  were  sent  to  Palm  Beach, 
where  he  expected  much  enjoyment  from  them 
during  the  winter  months  while  convalescing 
there. 

His  friend,  Mr.  Charles  A.  Walker,  in 
writing  of  the  collection  owned  by  Mr.  Jef- 
ferson, queries,  "  Has  not  the  acquisition  of  these 
pictures  been  a  potent  factor  in  the  delicate  re- 
finement and  subtle  quality  expressed  in  Mr. 
Jefferson's  stage  career?  Was  not  the  spirit  of 
Corot,  Mauve,  and  Israels  echoed  in  the  ex- 
quisite poetry  of  his  art? 

"To  those  who  may  become  the  fortunate 
owners  of  these  paintings  there  will  be  this  addi- 
tional value:  the  feeling  of  affection  and  rever- 
ence that  inspired  the  collection  of  this  famous 
group,  and  the  association  of  the  great  man's 
name  with  each  and  every  work." 


By  courtesy  of  the  American  Art  Association,  New  York 

THE  MADONNA  OF  THE  COTTAGE 

JOSEF   ISRAELS,     I  824 

Fornierlv  in  llie  Jefferson  collection 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  51 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE  PAINTER 

If  in  modest  truth  he  suggests  his  work,  omitting  hard 
details  and  impertinent  finish,  the  simple  picture  will  lead 
us  in  our  imagination  to  supply  the  artistic  impossibilities  of 
sound  and  movement. 

Joseph  Jefferson. 

LEONARDO  DA  VINCI  painted  a  pic- 
.  ture  so  wonderful  that  it  almost,  if  not 
quite,  obscured  his  other  magnificent 
achievements.  Joseph  Jefferson  created  a  work 
of  art  so  great  in  the  dramatic  world  that  it  has 
come  close  to  shutting  out  from  the  casual  ob- 
server his  talents  in  other  lines.  Had  Mr.  Jef- 
ferson given  to  the  arts  of  painting,  oratory,  or 
literature  the  time  he  gave  to  the  perfecting  of 
the  art  of  acting,  there  is  no  doubt  that  the  world 
would  be  enriched  to-day  in  these  arts  as  he 
has  enriched  his  chosen  profession.  Da  Vinci's 
picture  has  fallen  under  the  ban  of  the  law  of 
time  and  is  no  longer  visible  to  the  traveller;  day 
by  day  it  grows  fainter  and  fainter.  The  soft 
colours,  the  lovely  Christ  head  and  form,  slowly 
receding  into  the  canvas,  tell  of  the  perishabil- 


52     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

ity  of  all  that  is  seen,  and  point  to  the  truth 
spoken  by  the  Principal  in  that  picture,  "  It  is 
the  unseen  things  which  are  the  real." 

"Of  Mr.  Jefferson's  talent  in  this  line,  it  has 
been  asked,  '  How  did  he  know  how  to  paint 
since  he  never  learned?'  The  old  question  the 
Jews  asked  about  Jesus,  and  that  the  Baconians 
and  Elizabethan  syndicate  ask  about  Shake- 
speare; nevertheless  they  had  to  confess  that  in 
each  case  the  thing  was  done,  and  with  the  mas- 
ter mind,  and  the  time  may  come  when  '  a  Jef- 
ferson '  will  take  its  place  among  the  treasures 
of  the  collector,  not  merely  from  the  fame  and 
charm  of  the  actor,  but  because  of  intrinsic  love- 
liness as  an  exposition  of  the  mysteries  of  nature. 

"Joseph  Jefferson's  art  as  a  painter  will  not 
soon  be  forgotten;  even  when  his  personal  mem- 
ory has  been  somewhat  dimmed  by  time  we  will 
walk  through  some  art  gallery  and  have  pointed 
out  to  us  a  painting  by  his  hand. 

"  His  pictures  sold  at  prices  which  were  not 
carried  on  account  of  his  fame  as  an  actor  be- 
yond their  intrinsic  value." 

Early  in  life  young  Jefferson  discovered  that 
he  had  a  genuine  talent  for  painting  which  came 
naturally  to  him,  as  his  love  for  drawing  and 
painting  was  inherited  from  his  grandfather, 
who  would  frequently  miss  the  contents  of  his 
paint  box,  and  upon  inquiring,  "Joe,  where  is 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  53 

my  paint?"  invariably  he  would  receive  the  un- 
satisfactory reply,  "Gone!" 

"I  know  it's  gone,  sir;  but  where?" 

With  a  roguish  look  the  child  would  reply: 

"  Him,  hook  'em." 

His  grandfather  prophesied  that  one  day  the 
boy  would  become  a  great  artist,  and  throughout 
his  life  it  remained  his  favourite  non-profes- 
sional pursuit.  He  took  up  the  study  of  art  as 
an  avocation,  and  it  has  been  said  by  one  well 
acquainted  with  the  history  of  the  family:  "  Al- 
though the  name  of  Jefferson  is  linked  with  the 
stage,  it  might  have  become  equally  prominent 
in  the  art  galleries  of  the  world;  from  Thomas 
Jefiferson,  who  appeared  at  Drury  Lane  in  1746, 
a  Yorkshire  farmer,  deserting  the  plough  for 
the  boards,  to  Joseph,  one  of  his  two  sons,  who 
came  to  Boston  in  1797  and  was  engaged  by 
Charles  Stewart  Powell,  the  first  manager  of 
the  Boston  Theatre,  to  his  second  son,  Joseph, 
an  actor,  too,  who  inherited  his  father's  talent 
for  drawing,  painting,  and  architecture,  and 
who  was  the  '  dean  of  the  American  stage,'  the 
family  name  has  come  down  linked  with  the 
pencil  and  the  brush." 

Mr.  Jefferson's  studio  was  in  the  top  of  the 
old  Dutch  windmill  on  his  estate,  but  later  he 
changed  it  to  a  large  upper  room  in  his  barn, 
in  which  he  also  kept  his  fishing  paraphernalia 


54     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

' — rods,  reels,  nets  and  baskets,  bait  boxes  and 
rubber  boots;  also  a  cabinet  containing  a  speci- 
men of  every  kind  of  fly  he  had  ever  seen  or 
heard  of. 

Mr.  Jefiferson  had  a  studio  "  make-up "  as 
characteristic  as  that  of  any  part  he  ever  played. 
An  old  quilted  jacket,  w^hose  original  colour  had 
been  crimson,  was  his  delight.  This  jacket  was 
so  daubed  and  besmeared  with  paint  that  its  use 
could  not  by  any  possibility  be  mistaken.  His 
hair,  which  was  still  thick  and  dark  at  seventy- 
five,  was  worn,  upon  these  studio  occasions,  in 
artistic  and  unruly  abandonment.  When  at 
work  upon  a  picture, — and  he  worked  very 
rapidly,  often  covering  and  finishing  a  large 
canvas  in  two  days, — he  would  become  so  ab- 
sorbed in  the  adjustment  of  tones  and  values  as 
to  be  utterly  oblivious  of  the  presence  of  any  one 
in  the  room  with  him.  His  studio  was  simply  a 
work-room — there  was  no  attempt  at  decoration 
— but  it  was  most  interesting.  A  large  easel 
stood  by  the  north  window.  At  his  left  hand 
was  a  tall  metal  revolving  stand  for  tube  colours, 
brushes,  bottles,  and  rags;  at  his  right  a  low 
stand  for  his  palette,  which  was  unusually  large 
and  made  of  metal.  Canvas,  pictures,  and 
frames  were  stacked  against  the  walls  in  profu- 
sion. 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  55 

Mr.  Jefferson's  painting  was  what  is  called 
solid  and  direct,  much  of  the  work  being  done 
with  his  palette  knife,  or  perhaps  with  his 
thumb,  while  he  talked  with  his  visitors.  "  All 
men  are  in  some  way  equal,"  he  would  say; 
"artists  meet  on  a  level.  A  'star'  and  his 
*  dresser,'  if  possessed  of  genius,  may  meet  on 
equal  ground." 

To  Mr.  Jefferson,  perception  of  art  was  a  rev- 
elation. He  did  not  have  to  struggle  through 
years  to  achieve  this  knowledge,  which  brought 
him  so  much  pleasure.  He  never  had  a  lesson 
in  painting,  but  those  who  knew  him  understood 
the  open  secret  of  his  clear  vision  and  his  sweet 
interpretation  of  nature.  In  his  remarks  upon 
art,  Mr.  Jefferson  would  say: 

"  I  see  and  feel  something  I  want  to  paint, — 
then  I  paint  what  I  see — my  impressions.  Fidel- 
ity to  fact  simply  for  fact's  sake  means  nothing 
in  painting,  and  it  means  nothing  in  acting.  In 
painting,  or  in  dramatic  presentations,  what  is 
often  intended  for  truth  becomes  exactly  the 
opposite — truth  to  nature  can  be  carried  so  far 
as  to  be  untrue.  If  an  illusion  gives  a  natural 
sentiment  better  than  a  reality  would,  then  it  is 
a  laudable  act  to  deceive. 

"  Excellence  in  the  drama,  as  in  the  art  of 
painting,   depends  upon  everything.     The  art 


56     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

comes  in,  in  being  able  to  comprehend  the  whole 
— design  it,  colour  it,  and  harmonise  the  several 
parts. 

"  Some  of  the  greatest  things  in  art  are  the  re-, 
suits  of  accident,"  Mr.  Jefferson  would  affirm, 
"but  accident,  the  contingent  result  of  the  prep- 
aration which  the  artist  makes,  so  that  he  may 
be  able  to  take  advantage  of  accident." 

The  press  and  the  art  critics  had  long  desired 
an  opportunity  to  study  the  pictures  from  the 
brush  of  the  actor-painter,  and  to  judge  his 
method  and  style.  This  opportunity  was  given 
them  by  Mr.  Charles  Fisher,  of  Washington, 
in  an  exhibition  of  Mr.  Jefferson's  paintings, 
upon  two  occasions,  October  29,  1899,  and  De- 
cember 10,  1900.  Of  these  pictures  Mr.  James 
Henry  Moser  said,  in  his  criticism,  published  in 
the  Washington  Times:  "These  pictures  show 
mastery  of  method.  One  grows  tired  of  the 
apologetic  observation,  '  Remember  this  is  not 
professional  work,  but  the  work  of  an  amateur.' 
It  is  time  to  protest.  This  attitude  towards  Jef- 
ferson's paintings  is  manifestly  unnecessary. 
This  work  is  the  recreation  of  a  busy  man,  pos- 
sessing the  marvellous  power  of  entering  heart 
and  soul  into  whatever  he  undertakes.  The  won- 
der of  the  critic  acquainted  with  the  accomplish- 
ments of  this  gentleman's  eventful  career  is, 
*  Where  did  he  ever  find  time?'  and  the  ques- 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  57 

tions  as  to  where  and  how  he  ever  perfected 
himself  in  this  art  of  painting  are  simply  un- 
answerable. 

"The  principles  of  painting  or  graphic  art 
were  the  substrata  upon  which  the  many  talents 
of  Joseph  Jefferson  were  founded;  and  that  a 
picture  by  his  hand,  as  a  comprehensive  whole, 
may  be  argued  as  the  basis  typical  of  all  the 
varied  phases  of  his  life,  the  wellspring  of  all 
his  diversified  gifts  being  his  inherent  feeling 
for  nature's  truths.  It  was  through  the  sim- 
plicity of  his  own  art  intuition  that  he  touched 
and  held  the  hearts  of  the  people.  They  take 
one  back  to  earlier  times,  revealing  for  one's 
enjoyment  that  serene  spirit  of  England's  best 
period  of  the  beloved  Barbizon's.  The  dis- 
tinctive features  of  his  work  were  force  and 
dramatic  quality,  which  long  familiarity  with 
theatrical  scenery  and  scene-painting  in  his 
earlier  days  had  given  him.  No  class  of  paint- 
ers know  so  well  as  the  scene  painters  how  to 
make  the  most  of  opportunity  and  material; 
and  so  this  artist's  work  was  in  every  sense 
strong,  mature,  and  individual." 

Mr.  Jefiferson's  favourite  scenes  were  old 
water-mills,  cascades,  and  shady  dells,  and  in  his 
studio  were  perfect  little  models  of  old  mills, 
water-wheels,  and  thatched  cottages,  the  delight 
of  his  grandchildren,  who  looked  upon  them 


58     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

as  doll  houses  made  for  their  especial  enjoy- 
ment. 

His  paintings  were  said  to  have  contained  a 
great  deal  of  the  Constable  feeling,  and  one  at 
least,  "The  Mill  Dam,"  was  so  highly  prized 
by  English  critics  who  saw  it  that  Mr.  Jeffer- 
son was  invited  to  send  it  to  the  Royal 
Academy. 

The  following  criticism  by  William  D.  Bod- 
well  appeared  in  the  Boston  Sunday  Globe, 
September  9,  1900; 

"  We  comprehend  the  artist's  ability  and 
range  in  the  canvas  called  'The  Old  Mill.'  In 
this  canvas  there  is  a  note  so  true  that  I  claim 
for  the  painter  a  place  second  to  none  of  the 
early  idyllic  artists. 

"  In  this  study  of  an  old  mill,  deep  in  a  forest 
glade,  with  its  rotting  wheel  and  water  trick- 
ling over  mossy  rocks,  is  an  imaginable  rich- 
ness of  brown  and  green  that  may  be  found  in 
such  a  scene  on  a  grey  day.  It  is  something  to 
be  catholic  enough  in  one's  taste  to  realise  that 
this  art  of  Jefferson's  is  not  only  very  beautiful, 
but  very  true  as  well. 

"  I  will  add  by  way  of  testimony  that  what- 
ever else  he  is,  actor,  stage  manager,  speaker, 
art  connoisseur,  philosopher,  or  home  maker, 
Joseph  Jefferson  is  first,  last,  and  always  an 
artist  and  a  painter." 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  59 


CHAPTER  V 


LOUISIANA 


They  who  dwell  there  have  named  it  the  Eden  of 
Louisiana. 

Longfellow. 

MUCH  has  been  written  about  Mr.  Jef- 
ferson's    home     in     Louisiana.     That 
which  remains  to  be  said  may  be  more 
or  less  familiar,  but  the  motive  of  the  writer  is 
to  preserve  old  memories. 

Before  the  railroad  was  carried  through,  the 
trip  from  New  Orleans  to  New  Iberia  had  to 
be  taken  by  boat  down  the  Bijou  Teche.  This 
journey  always  appealed  to  Mr.  Jefferson,  sat- 
isfying all  that  was  romantic,  weird,  and  artis- 
tic in  his  nature.  The  narrow  stream,  the 
jungle  and  tropical  growth  upon  the  banks,  the 
overhanging  trees  with  long  strands  of  soft 
grey  moss — "  the  shadow  of  death,"  as  it  was 
called — and  especially  at  night,  accompanied 
by  the  weird  songs  of  the  negro  boatmen,  as 
they  kept  monotonous  time  to  their  labours,  were 
most  attractive.  With  regret,  this  trip  down 
the  "  Teche  "  had  to  be  abandoned  by  the  law 
of  progress  to  a  modern-day  coach  over  a  very 


6o     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

new  and  uncertain  railroad  track,  which  either 
rose  or  sank  according  to  the  quality  of  the  soil 
it  rested  upon,  and  which  swayed  from  side  to 
side. 

Longfellow  writes  of   this  beautiful  Teche 
country  in  his  poem  of  "Evangeline": 

On  the  banks  of  the  Teche, 

Beautiful  is  the  land,  with  its  prairies  and  forests  of 
fruit-trees; 

Under  the  feet  a  garden  of  flowers,  and  the  bluest  of 
heavens 

Bending  above,  and  resting  its  dome  on  the  walls  of  the 
forest. 

They  who  dwell  there  have  named  it  the  Eden  of  Louisi- 
ana. 

Then  from  a  neighbouring  thicket  the  mocking-bird,  wildest 

of  singers, 
Swinging  aloft  on  a  willow  spray  that  hung  o'er  the  water. 
Shook  from  his  little  throat  such  floods  of  delirious  music 
That  the  whole  air  and  the  woods  and  the  waves  seemed 

silent  to  listen. 

Till,  having  gathered  them  all,  he  flung  them  abroad   in 

derision, 
As  when,  after  a  storm  a  gust  of  wind  through  the  tree-tops 
Shakes  down  the  rattling  rain  in  a  crystal  shower  on  the 

branches. 
With  such  a  prelude  as  this,  and  hearts  that  throbbed  with 

emotion. 
Slowly    they  entered    the    Teche,  where  It   flows    through 

the   green   Opelousas. 


I 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  6i 

The  plantation  home  of  Mr,  Jefferson  was 
named  "Orange  Island,"  but  it  was  better 
known  as  "  Jefferson's  Island."  It  was  only  at 
certain  seasons  of  the  year  that  it  became  an 
island,  on  account  of  the  marshy  land  which  the 
water  overflowed,  cutting  it  off  from  the  main- 
land. 

Many  exciting  experiences  are  related  of 
drives  to  and  from  the  nearest  town,  New 
Iberia,  in  which  only  the  heads  and  backs  of  the 
horses  would  be  visible  above  the  water. 

Although  the  trip  to  Orange  Island  was, 
during  the  good  weather,  indescribably  lovely, 
at  other  times,  especially  following  a  rainy  sea- 
son, it  was  most  difficult,  as  the  roads — such 
as  they  were — contained  soft  places  called 
"holes,"  which  were  hard  to  avoid.  The  car- 
riage would  frequently  become  bogged,  even 
when  driven  by  one  accustomed  to  travelling 
over  the  prairies  at  all  seasons. 

Mr.  Edward  B.  Tilton  describes  a  perilous 
but  most  amusing  journey  across  the  marsh- 
land: 

"  In  December,  1886,  I  had  the  pleasure  of 
visiting  Mr.  Jefferson  at  his  plantation  near 
New  Iberia,  and  though  many  years  have 
passed  since  then,  the  memory  of  it  is  as  vivid 
now  as  in  that  year. 


62     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

"  New  Iberia  had  built  a  theatre — the  wish 
of  the  village  was  fulfilled — it  had  a  real  theatre, 
and  what  could  be  more  in  order  than  that  it 
should  be  opened  by  the  play  which  their  dear 
neighbour  had  so  prominent  a  hand  in  writing 
and  staging,  and  which  was  under  the  manage- 
ment of  two  of  his  sons,  Mr.  Charlie  and  Tom? 
The  Shadows  of  a  Great  City,  a  play  that  is 
living  to-day,  was  to  open  the  new  theatre. 

"  I  was  a  member  of  the  company  and  had 
received  an  invitation  to  stop  over  night  at 
Orange  Island.  We  arrived  in  the  town  of  New 
Iberia  at  about  five  o'clock  Sunday  afternoon, 
and  were  met  by  Mr.  Jefferson's  two  sons,  Tom 
and  Joe,  the  latter  mounted,  but  there  was  a 
carriage  to  carry  Tom,  Mr.  Herman,  and  my- 
self to  the  plantation,  twelve  miles  away.  The 
driver  was  a  ^Cajin'  named  Joe  Landre,  who 
afforded  us  endless  amusement  on  the  journey. 
His  English  consisted  of  a  native  patois,  in 
which  he  frequently  used  only  the  first  syllable 
of  a  word;  the  result  being  exceedingly  humor- 
ous, especially  when  it  became  profane,  as  he 
did  at  every  hole  or  obstruction. 

"  We  started  through  the  mud.  Such  mud! — 
rich,  creamy,  black,  oily  ooze — it  covered 
everything  and  everybody,  it  came  up  through 
the  bottoni  of  the  carriage,  and  fell  in  showers 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  63 

on  the  horses'  backs.  There  are  no  stones  in 
Louisiana,  nothing  but  mud. 

"Night  settled  down,  the  moon  was  bright 
and  full — never  have  I  seen  so  beautiful  a  sight 
— the  wide  stretch  of  prairie  land  crossed  and 
re-crossed  with  bayous  on  which  the  moon 
shimmered,  and  twenty  miles  away,  acres  of 
burning  salt  marsh,  which  gave  a  weird  and 
ghostly  look  to  everything  and  magnified  to  such 
an  extent  that  when  a  steer  rose  sullenly  from 
the  road  to  give  us  place,  he  seemed  the  size  of 
a  small  mountain. 

"There  were  bridges  across  the  bayous,  but 
Landre,  our  driver,  scorned  them.  They  were 
new — he  had  forded  the  streams  from  boyhood, 
and  that  was  good  enough  for  him.  Conse- 
quently, the  two  horses  strained  through  the 
mud  and  splashed  across  the  bayous,  never 
faster  than  a  walk,  and  even  that  was  hard 
work.  Whenever  it  got  too  bad,  young  Joe 
would  ride  ahead  and  pick  out  the  best  way. 
We  did  make  one  exception  and  crossed  a 
bridge;  the  result  being  conclusive  proof  of 
Landre's  sagacity  in  avoiding  them.  Coming  to 
a  particularly  bad  place  in  the  road,  we  declared 
the  bridge  to  be  the  better  way.  Landre  de- 
murred; we  insisted.  Finally,  with  a  crack  of 
the  whip,  our  driver  started.  Just  as  the  horses 


64     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

got  to  the  bridge — Slush — into  a  hole  we  went 
— mired!  It  was  then  that  Landre  let  loose  his 
choicest  Cajin  French  and  broken  English 
oaths. 

"  We  all  crawled  out  upon  the  tongue  of  the 
wagon  between  the  horses  and  jumped  on  to  the 
bridge.  Landre  carefully  removed  his  shoes 
and  stockings,  and  after  hanging  them,  with  an 
extra  amount  of  labour,  on  the  rail  of  the  bridge, 
he  waded  into  the  mud.  Securing  a  rope  from 
the  wagon,  he  unharnessed  the  horses  and  led 
them  on  to  the  bridge.  Then,  tying  the  rope  to 
the  tongue,  he  hitched  the  horses  to  it — and 
whizz! — our  wagon  was  high  and  dry.  All 
would  have  been  well,  but  Landre,  in  his  haste, 
handled  the  rope  carelessly,  and  one  end  flew 
over  and,  striking  his  beloved  shoes  and  stock- 
ings, knocked  them  off  into  the  bayou. 

"  |li_ni_! !!_!!! 

"  Off  again;  and  now  we  reach  the  outer  en- 
closure of  the  Jefferson  plantation.  Imagine,  if 
you  can,  a  fence  or  hedge  seven  miles  around, 
and  ten  feet  high,  of  rose  bushes  in  full  bloom, 
so  thickly  grown  together  that  a  dog  could 
not  get  through  any  part  of  it.  Mr.  Joe  left 
us  here  to  ride  forward  to  inform  the  family 
that  we  were  coming.  Two  miles  farther  on 
we  reached  the  inner  enclosure   (of  the  same 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  65 

fragrant  growth),  three  miles  around.  Inside  of 
this  was  the  Jefferson  mansion  and  the  houses 
of  his  sons.  The  outer  enclosure  was  given  over 
to  hundreds  of  cattle. 

"  As  we  drove  up  to  the  steps  the  door  opened, 
letting  out  a  flood  of  warm  light,  and  in  the 
opening  to  welcome  us  stood  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Jefferson.  The  hallway,  about  twelve  feet 
wide,  carpeted  and  hung  with  skins,  guns, 
heads,  birds,  fishing  tackle,  etc.,  opened  into 
the  dining-room  directly  at  the  back,  in  which 
was  a  large  fireplace  containing  a  five-foot  log 
in  full  blaze.  The  rose-covered  house,  out- 
lined by  the  distant  miles  of  blazing  marsh,  the 
full  moon,  and  those  two  smiling  faces  at  the 
open  door,  made  an  impression  which  no  num- 
ber of  years  can  efface. 

"  On  going  into  the  dining-room  we  saw  the 
table  with  its  white  cloth,  in  the  centre  of  which 
stood  a  huge  pot  of  Boston  baked  beans  with 
the  steam  rising  from  them,  and  at  each  plate 
a  broiled  quail  and  a  bottle  of  beer.  It  was 
ten-thirty  P.M.  We  had  been  five  hours  going 
twelve  miles! 

"  In  such  close  intimacy  I  recognised  one  of 
Mr.  Jefferson's  most  charming  traits — he  was  a 
fine  listener.  We  were  all  young  and  our  chat- 
ter had  little  to  interest  him,  and  yet  he  sat  there 


66     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

with  his  kindly  eyes,  a  sweet  smile  on  his  lips, 
and  just  '  listened.'  Every  once  in  a  while  he 
made  one  of  his  quaint  remarks.  We  had  told 
him  of  the  ride,  and  that  we  had  a  case  of  beer 
with  us  in  the  wagon,  and  that  at  every  hole  we 
got  into  we  opened  a  bottle  of  it.  He  smiled 
and  said:  'Then  all  I  have  to  do  is  to  look  at 
the  case  to  know  in  what  condition  the  roads 
were.'  When  I  spoke  about  shooting,  a  soft 
look  came  into  those  wonderful  eyes.  '  I  don't 
shoot  any  more,'  he  said;  '  I  can't  bear  to  see  the 
birds  die.' 

"  He  told  a  story  for  which  the  '  show  '  com- 
ing to  the  new  theatre  under  the  management 
of  the  Jefiferson  boys   was  responsible. 

"  Landre,  our  driver,  knew  only  of  the  the- 
atre and  actors  by  what  he  had  heard  in  Mr. 
Jeflferson's  home.  When  the  play  was  billed 
there,  he  went  to  Mr.  Jefiferson  and  something 
as  follows  occurred: 

"Landre:  'Play  comin'  to  theat'?'  (theatre). 

"Mr.  Jefiferson:  'Yes.' 

"Landre:   '  Yo   ack?'    (act). 

"Mr.  J.:  'No.' 

"  Landre  (surprised,  but  struck  with  an 
idea): 'Ah!    Mars' Char'e  ack?' 

"Mr.  J.:  'No.' 

"Landre  (puzzled,  but  hopeful):  'OhI 
Mars'  Tom — he  ack?  ' 


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JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  67 

"Mr.  Jefferson  being  compelled  to  reply  in 
the  negative,  Landre,  in  desperation,  inquired: 
*  Den  who  de  hell  ack?' 

"Mr.  Jefferson  also  told  the  following  story: 

" '  Most  actors  who  have  been  before  the  pub- 
lic a  number  of  years  have  had  somebody  much 
older  than  themselves  say  to  them,  "  I  remember 
seeing  you  when  I  was  a  child." 

"  '  A  very  old  man — toothless,  deaf,  and  gen- 
erally decrepit — once  came  to  me  and  said, 
"  Mr.  Jefferson,  I  am  so  glad  to  meet  you,  sir; 
I  remember  seeing  you  play  Rip  when  I  was 
a  boy  in  short  pants."  I  looked  at  him  and 
said,  "  I  think,  my  dear  sir,  you  have  made  a 
mistake,  it  must  have  been  my  son." ' 

"  We  rode  in  the  saddle  back  to  the  town  the 
next  morning  and  gave  the  play.  As  only  about 
one-third  of  the  audience  could  understand 
English,  it  was  a  treat  to  watch  them.  The 
whole  town  turned  out.  It  was  '  Mr.  Jeffer- 
son's boys'  play,'  and  that  was  enough." 

These  were  the  early  days  long  before  the 
Southern  Pacific  Railroad  extended  a  branch 
along  the  boundary  lines  of  the  plantation  and 
built  the  small  station  called  Bob  Acres. 

The  house  stood  upon  a  hill  about  seventy 
feet  high  overlooking  the  salt  marshes  along 
Vermilion  Bay,  and  gave  a  silver  glimpse  of 
the  Gulf  of  Mexico.    It  was  a  great,  hospitable 


68     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

Southern    home,    one    story    high,    with    wide 
verandas  surrounding  it  upon  three  sides. 

A  magnificent  row  of  live  oaks  extended 
from  the  lawn  almost  to  the  lake  at  the  back 
of  the  house.  These  trees  were  the  pride  of 
the  whole  country,  being  over  a  hundred  years 
of  age,  and  it  was  on  account  of  their  beauty 
that  Mr.  Jefferson  had  selected  that  site  upon 
which  to  build  his  new  house. 

The  plantation  contained  about  nine  thou- 
sand acres,  and  was  bought  by  Mr.  Jefferson  in 
1871.  When  originally  purchased  it  contained 
only  about  two  thousand  acres,  but  land  was 
added  from  time  to  time. 

The  old  house  upon  the  plantation  was  said 
to  have  been  the  former  home  of  the  pirate 
Lafitte,  whose  buried  treasure  had  been  spas- 
modically hunted  for  ever  since  he  was  sup- 
posed to  have  vacated  the  premises. 

About  three  thousand  acres  of  this  land  is 
being  cultivated,  the  largest  crops  being  rice 
and  sugar. 

It  is  a  beautiful  drive  from  town  in  the  early 
summer,  the  road  lying  between  a  rose  hedge, 
of  the  lovely  Cherokee,  whose  dark  glossy 
leaves  form  a  wonderful  background  for  its 
cream  and  gold  petals.     This  hedge  was  Mr. 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  69 

Jefferson's  pet  idea,  and  he  not  only  superin- 
tended the  planting  of  the  vines,  but  did  much 
of  the  work  himself.  It  certainly  rewarded  him 
for  his  labour,  being  in  its  season  a  perfect  riot 
of  bloom,  of  a  golden  glow. 

In  an  article  published  by  the  Outlook,  some 
years  ago,  the  "  Spectator"  gives  a  description 
of  a  visit  paid  to  Mr.  Jefferson: 

"The  morning  after  the  arrival  of  his  guest, 
Mr.  Jefferson  asked  him  what  he  would  like  to 
do  best.    '  Do  you  shoot? ' 

"No,  the  Spectator  did  not  shoot. 

"'You  don't  shoot!  Why  not?'  To  which  the 
Spectator  hesitatingly  replied  that  he  guessed 
it  w.as  because  he  didn't  like  to  kill  things. 

"'Well,  that's  queer.     Do  you  fish?' 

"Yes,  the  Spectator  confessed  that  he  some- 
times slew  fish.  But  very  little  fishing  was 
done,  and  the  days  largely  were  given  over  to 
reading  aloud  from  the  Autobiography  upon 
which  Mr.  Jefferson  was  then  at  work,  and  to 
long  walks  through  the  woods  where  the  South- 
ern moss  hung  its  curtains  of  grey  over  the  live 
oaks. 

"  In  the  morning  Mr.  Jefferson  would  sit 
upon  the  piazza  in  a  big  wicker  chair  and  read 
bits   of    the   Autobiography.     Occasionally    he 


70    INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

would  lay  down  the  manuscript  and  tell  a  story, 
and  the  Spectator  would  say,  'Now,  you  must 
put  that  in.' 

" '  And  do  you  really  think  that  would  inter- 
est the  public?'  And  after  some  argument,  in 
it  would  go. 

"  He  was  full  of  good  stories.  He  could 
quote  from  Shakespeare  as  if  he  had  played  in 
every  part — and  indeed  he  had  played  in 
many, 

"A  year  or  more  after  the  visit  to  the  Louisi- 
ana plantation,  the  Spectator  met  Mr.  Jefferson 
in  New  York.  *  Do  you  remember  what  you 
said  when  you  were  down  at  Orange  Island?' 
he  asked. 

"  The  Spectator  could  not  recall  anything  of 
note  that  he  had  said.  He  remembered  plenty 
of  Mr.  Jefferson's  remarks. 

"'You  said  you  didn't  like  to  kill  things!  It 
made  such  an  impression  on  me  that  I've  never 
been  shooting  since.'" 

When  salt  was  discovered  upon  his  planta- 
tion, Mr.  Jefferson  gave  the  work  of  locating 
its  depths  and  dimensions  to  a  company  which 
set  its  engineers  to  work  surveying  and  boring 
for  the  salt  mineral.     This  work  required  the 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  71 

use  of  loose  salt  for  the  drills,  and  large  quanti- 
ties were  carted  over  from  a  neighbouring  mine 
for  this  purpose.  The  natives,  observing  this, 
started  the  report  that  there  w^as  no  salt  on 
Orange  Island  at  all,  and  that  Mr.  Jefferson 
was  being  fooled,  and  those  who  had  his  inter- 
ests most  at  heart  so  informed  him,  saying  that 
the  drilling  or  mining  company  were  burying 
the  salt  first,  and  then  digging  it  up  again,  to 
show  the  owner  when  he  came  around  to  where 
they  were  working.  One  day  Mr.  Jefiferson 
asked  one  of  the  engineers  if  there  was  any  salt 
on  his  land  (he  having  at  that  time  expended 
about  ten  thousand  dollars  upon  machinery, 
labour,  etc.,  etc.) .  The  man  looked  at  him  with 
astonishment.  "  Have  we  not  taken  out  cores  of 
pure  rock  salt  in  quantities,  Mr.  Jefferson?"  he 
asked. 

"Yes,"  replied  Mr.  Jefferson,  "yes,  I  know 
you  have  shown  it  to  me,  and  it  is  very  fine, 
but — is  there  any  salt  on  my  land?" 

The  engineer  then  explained  the  process — 
how  the  water  necessary  for  drilling  would  eat 
the  salt  and  enlarge  the  hole  made  by  the  drill, 
so  that  it  would  be  useless,  unless  the  water 
were  made  into  brine  as  salt  almost  as  the  rock 
itself. 


72     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

This  explanation  not  only  satisfied  Mr.  Jef- 
ferson, but  afforded  him  much  amusement  at 
the  expense  of  his  Cajin  friends. 

At  his  home  on  the  plantation  Mr.  Jefferson 
entertained  many  famous  people,  the  hunting 
preserve  being  one  of  the  finest  in  the  country, 
consisting  of  three  thousand  acres,  in  which 
snipe  and  duck  abound.  During  the  latter 
years  spent  by  Mr.  Jefferson  on  his  island  home 
he  lost  all  enthusiasm  for  the  sport,  and  gave 
it  up  entirely,  finding  more  real  pleasure  in 
creating  upon  canvas  the  w^ild  things  he  loved  so 
well. 

In  Louisiana  the  neighbours  (so  called, 
though  far  removed)  of  the  actor  knew  him  only 
as  a  good  man,  who  helped  them  in  many  ways, 
and  who  also  helped  their  wives  by  introducing 
the  product  of  their  looms,  a  cloth  called 
"  homespun,"  but  they  did  not  know  how  high 
he  stood  in  the  affection  of  the  world. 

The  negroes  on  the  place  had  an  idea  that 
Mr.  Jefferson  did  something  else  when  not 
farming  on  his  plantation,  and  during  the 
months  that  he  was  away;  but  they  were  not 
quite  certain  of  the  character  or  nature  of  this 
"something."  One  of  Mr.  Jefferson's  sons  had 
told  the  old  coloured  coachman  that  Mr.  Jeffer- 
son "  performed  " — swallowed  swords  and  rode 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  73 

bareback.  But  the  old  man  knew  this  could  not 
be  true,  because  he  said  he  had  seen  him  get 
on  a  horse.  Mrs.  Rebecca  Harding  Davis,  who 
was  his  guest  at  one  time,  tells  the  story  of  an 
occasion  upon  which  this  old  coachman  embar- 
rassed his  master  exceedingly.  It  was  while 
driving  across  the  lonely  prairie  on  their  way 
back  from  New  Iberia  one  day  that  the  old 
man,  peering  all  around  to  make  sure  there 
were  no  other  vehicles  in  sight,  stopped  his 
horse,  turned  square  around  in  his  seat  facing 
Mr.  Jefferson,  and  said,  ''Now,  Marse  Joe,  we 
is  all  alone,  on  de  prayrie — no  one  lookin' — 
fer  de  Lawd's  sake,  cut  up  a  bit." 

Years  ago — just  how  many  it  does  not  mat- 
ter, for  age  and  time  are  but  open  doors  to 
eternity — the  writer  accompanied  her  husband 
upon  a  visit  to  his  father's  Southern  home.  It 
was  their  wedding  trip,  and  previous  to  the  ar- 
rival of  the  young  couple,  Mr.  Jefferson  had 
informed  his  two  little  grandchildren  (who 
lived  on  the  plantation  all  the  year  round) 
that  the  bride  was  coming  to  visit  them.  The 
little  sisters  had  never  seen  a  bride,  and  their 
wildest  imagination  could  not  convey  to  them 
what  she  would  be  like.  They  waited  and 
counted  the  hours,  in  the  meantime  asking 
many  questions,  until  the  wonderful  day  should 


74     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

arrive  upon  which  they  were  to  behold  the  un- 
known. 

The  great  day  came.  The  horses  and  car- 
riage had  been  sent  into  town  early,  for  the 
roads  were  still  in  bad  condition  on  account  of 
the  rains. 

Long  before  the  faintest  outline  of  a  convey- 
ance could  be  traced  across  the  prairie,  two  lit- 
tle figures  in  fresh  "  homespun  "  and  cloaked 
in  "  Red  Riding  Hoods "  ventured  down  the 
road  as  far  as  a  mother's  watchful  eye  would 
permit  (the  front  gate  being  two  miles  distant 
from  the  house)  and  stood  waiting  impatiently 
for  the  mud-bespattered  horses, — ^when  they 
finally  came  in  view,  to  walk  the  remaining  dis- 
tance between  the  rose-covered  enclosure  and 
the  house. 

The  youthful  bride — much  the  worse  for  the 
twelve-mile  ride  from  town — stepped  from  the 
carriage  and  embraced  the  little  red  figures, 
who  followed  close  upon  her  every  step.  She 
was  conscious  of  how  they  scanned  her  features, 
and  listened  with  breathless  interest  to  her  ever}^ 
word.  They  even  accompanied  her  to  the  rose- 
covered  cottage,  containing  two  rooms,  one  occu- 
pied by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Joseph  Jefferson  (who 
had  some  superstition  about  living  in  the  larger 
house). 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  75 

The  remaining  room  had  been  fitted  up  for 
the  bride  with  loving  thoughtfulness,  and  in 
the  wardrobe  was  hanging  a  dainty  sunbonnet, 
with  which  to  protect  her  complexion  against 
the  climate — an  article  not  included  in  the  trous- 
seau. 

The  close  scrutiny  of  the  little  maids  was  be- 
coming almost  embarrassing  when — with  ill- 
concealed  glee — their  grandfather  called  them 
away. 

It  was  some  time  before  the  new  daughter- 
in-law  learned  that  previous  to  her  arrival,  in 
answer  to  the  question  asked  by  the  children 
of  their  grandfather,  "What  is  a  bride?"  they 
had  been  told  that  she  was  a  radiantly  beautiful 
creature  who  always  wore  satin  dresses,  and  that 
every  time  she  spoke,  pearls  and  diamonds  fell 
from  her  lips  I 

It  took  the  visitor  some  weeks  to  regain  the 
confidence  of  the  little  sisters,  but  she  succeeded 
in  doing  so. 

This  new  member  of  the  family  was  a  city- 
bred  girl,  and  the  joys  of  that  visit  were  won- 
derful. She  had  never  beheld  an  orange  grove 
in  full  blossom — the  golden  fruit  ripening  at 
the  same  time  with  the  blooming  wax-like 
blossoms.  She  had  never  heard  the  chorus  of 
many  thousand  bees  humming  among  the  trees, 


76     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

nor  stood  beneath  their  branches  inhaling  the 
fragrance  of  the  cloud-like  masses  of  white. 
She  had  never  before  seen  a  great  alligator,  sun- 
ning himself  upon  an  old  black  log,  half  sub- 
merged, nor  gloried  in  the  wonders  of  live  oaks 
a  hundred  years  of  age.  It  was  all  so  new — 
and  she  was  keenly  alive  to  the  beautiful  in  art 
and  nature;  and  she  was  young — and  a  bride. 

The  day  following  the  arrival  of  the  new 
daughter-in-law,  Mr.  Jefferson  brought  a  beau- 
tiful orange,  and,  placing  it  in  her  hand,  said: 
"  I  want  you  to  taste  your  first  orange  grown  on 
the  plantation — I  raised  that — it  has  not  a  seed 
in  it — try  it!" 

She  did.  Appearances  are  ofttimes  deceitful, 
and  a  fair  exterior  may  conceal  much  bitterness. 

It  was  his  pet  joke,  but  only  to  be  played  upon 
the  tenderfoot.  The  native  knows  the  differ- 
ence too  well. 

I  think  the  writer  must  have  recognised  a 
familiar  look — the  same  she  saw  in  Mr.  Jeffer- 
son's eye  on  this  occasion — years  afterwards 
when  visiting  in  California  and  invited  to  sam- 
ple her  first  ripe  olive;  but  remembering  that 
look,  the  invitation  was  declined. 

With  the  idea  of  true  Southern  hospitality, 
Mr.  Jefferson's  friends,  when  calling  upon  him, 
would,  as  a  rule,  come  prepared  to  stop  two  or 
more  days,  bringing  all  their  guests  with  them. 


THE  ROSE-COVERED   COTTAGE 

MR.    AND    MRS.    JEFFERSON    WITH    THREE    SONS 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  ^^ 

There  was  ''method  in  the  madness"  of  plac- 
ing the  front  gate  through  the  outer  hedge  two 
miles  distant  from  the  house;  for  with  the  aid 
of  a  powerful  glass,  part  of  the  furniture  of  the 
wide  porch  surrounding  the  house,  we  would 
often  detect  the  approach  of  one  of  these  im- 
promptu house  parties,  which  allowed  us  plenty 
of  time  to  array  ourselves  in  our  best  gowns  and 
to  give  due  warning  to  old  Aunt  Jane,  who  in 
her  domain  in  the  kitchen  was  monarch  of  all 
she  surveyed. 

We  were  always  prepared  for  large  numbers 
of  guests,  and  the  larder  fully  stocked  with 
game. 

The  Jefferson  boys  were  expert  shots  and 
enjoyed  the  sport  as  much  as  their  father,  who 
at  one  time  used  to  participate  in  the  shooting. 
The  gun  room  was  the  most  popular  one  in  the 
house. 

"Passe"  was  the  favourite  hour  for  shoot- 
ing, when  the  long  lines  of  red  and  gold  were 
left  by  the  reflection  of  the  sun  across  the  hori- 
zon, after  it  had  gone  down,  the  darkening  sky 
above,  the  black  earth  below.  When  the  quail 
or  duck  rose  from  the  ground,  perfectly  out- 
lined against  the  brilliant  background,  a  quick 
pull  of  the  trigger,  and  the  flashing  report,  sel- 
dom failed  to  arrest  that  upward  flight,  causing 
the  bird  to  sink  earthward.    Then  it  was  that  the 


78     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

dogs,  intelligently  trained,  got  in  their  work. 
No  wonder  the  tender  heart  of  Joseph  Jefferson 
could  not  endure  this  sequel  to  the  seductiveness 
of  sport.  Even  the  long  tramp  through  the  marsh 
by  the  glorious  light  of  the  setting  sun,  the 
weird  shadows  of  the  long  strands  of  waving 
moss,  the  exciting  leaps  over  numberless  rep- 
tiles balled  up  together,  even  that  sense  of  power 
so  dear  to  and  unresisted  in  man  when  the 
stock  of  the  gun  fits  close  to  the  shoulder,  and 
the  eye  glances  unerringly  along  the  barrel, 
even  this  lost  its  charm  when  the  man  of  tender 
heart,  looking  into  the  soft  eye  of  the  winged 
thing  which  had  lost  its  freedom,  realised  the 
cost. 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  79 

CHAPTER  VI 

HOHOKUS 

It  (America)  has  all  dialects,  all  temperaments,  all  pos- 
sible climaxes  suggested,  and  all  climates  enjoyed,  and  above 
it  all  the  great  diapason  of  our  national  life,  calling  for  its 
great  exponents.  j^^^p^  Jefferson. 

THE  oldest  of  the  homes  which  Mr.  Jef- 
ferson made  for  himself  was  at  Hoho- 
kus,  New  Jersey.  This  house  was  built 
of  stone  and  was  very  ancient.  There  were  long 
avenues  of  magnificent  fir  trees  leading  to 
lawns  and  gardens,  conservatories  and  a  grap- 
ery. Great  pride  was  taken  in  the  fine  camellias 
brought  from  the  South  and  placed  in  a  hot- 
house apart  from  the  other  flowers. 

Blooming  plants  and  flowers  were  placed 
about  the  halls  and  rooms,  adding  colour  and 
fragrance  to  the  general  atmosphere. 

In  October  of  1876,  after  his  return  from 
London,  Mr.  Jefferson  appeared  at  Booth's 
Theatre  in  New  York,  under  the  management 
of  Augustin  Daly.  He  arranged  with  his  man- 
ager to  have  every  Saturday  night  free  to  spend 
at  his  home.  Such  a  contract  between  manager 
and  star,  calling  for  performances  on  five  nights 


8o     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

only  and  Saturday  matinee  of  each  week,  was 
most  unusual.  It  necessitated  a  change  of  bill, 
Mr.  Daly  being  obliged  to  put  on  a  melodrama 
of  his  own,  Under  the  Gas  Light,  every  Satur- 
day night  during  Mr.  Jefferson's  engagement. 

He  would  frequently  return  to  his  home  after 
the  performance  during  the  week,  although  it 
was  a  long  trip,  necessitating  the  crossing  of 
the  Twenty-third  Street  Ferry,  and  it  would  be 
nearly  two  o'clock  before  he  would  retire,  for 
there  was  always  a  hot  supper  awaiting  him, 
and  a  chat  with  his  wife  over  the  events  of  the 
evening. 

Mr.  Jefferson  was  very  fond  of  his  place  at 
Hohokus,  which  was  in  reality  a  large  farm. 
He  loved  the  retirement  of  those  summer 
months,  and  he  enjoyed  the  society  of  his  chil- 
dren and  their  young  friends.  "Among  the 
grave  he  could  be  a  sage,  among  the  young  a 
child,  in  fact,  among  a  group  of  people  younger 
than  himself  he  formed  the  centre  of  attraction 
by  the  sheer  force  of  his  entertaining  qualities." 
He  lived  in  this  house  a  longer  period  than  in 
any  of  his  other  homes.  There  his  young  chil- 
dren grew  to  manhood  and  womanhood.  Two 
of  his  sons  were  married  in  this  house,  and  a 
grandson  born. 

The  home  life  was  very  simple — enlivened 
by  birthday  parties,  picnics,  and  other  amuse- 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  8i 

ments.  One  of  the  picnics  will  long  be  re- 
membered by  all  of  the  neighbours  who  were 
invited  to  attend,  as  a  terrific  hail-storm  came 
up,  resulting  in  much  damage,  and  the  young 
people  were  obliged  to  find  shelter  as  best  they 
could. 

It  was  on  the  Fourth  of  July  about  the  year 
1874.  The  young  people  were  having  the  pic- 
nic at  Mr.  Jefiferson's  trout  pond,  a  picturesque 
spot  some  distance  from  the  house  which  Mr. 
Jefiferson  had  beautified;  the  pond  being  di- 
vided by  two  rustic  bridges.  One  side  was 
stocked  with  trout,  the  other  with  black  bass. 
His  gardener  lived  in  a  cottage  near  by  to  pro- 
tect the  fishing  privileges. 

The  big  hail  storm — one  of  the  most  severe 
ever  known  in  that  section  of  the  country,  and 
which  broke  several  hundred  panes  of  glass  in 
the  hothouses — completely  demoralised  the  pic- 
nic, the  guests  being  obliged  to  protect  their 
heads  with  tin  pans,  and  take  refuge  under  the 
tables. 

The  married  sons  of  Mr.  Jefferson  lived  in 
cottages  some  distance  from  his  house.  It  was 
not  infrequent  that  the  members  of  the  families 
assembled  of  an  evening  at  the  home  of  their 
father,  and  all  being  fond  of  music,  the  entire 
score  of  one  of  the  popular  operas  would  be 
sung,  each  member  assuming  a  part,  the  favour- 


82     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

ites  being  Pinafore,  or  The  Trial  by  Jury,  Mr. 
Jefferson  singing  the  part  of  the  Judge  in  the 
latter — and  he  sung  it  well,  showing  a  deep 
appreciation  of  Mr.  Gilbert's  humour  in  the 
lines : 

When   I,   good   friends,  was  called  to  the  Bar 

I'd  an  appetite  fresh  and  hearty, 
I  was,  as  most  young  barristers  are. 

An  impecunious  party. 
I'd  a  swallowtail  coat  of  a  beautiful  blue, 

And  a  brief  which  I  bought  of  a  booby; 
I'd  a  couple  of  shirts,  a  collar  or  two, 

And  a  ring  that  looked  like  a  ruby. 

In  later  years  Mr.  Jefferson's  hearing  be- 
came slightly  affected  and  he  could  no  longer 
enjoy  music.  It  even  became  discordant  to 
him.  We  tried  to  make  up  to  him  this  loss  in 
other  ways. 

At  one  time  the  young  people  of  the  neigh- 
bourhood had  arranged  to  give  "  the  Jeffer- 
sons "  a  surprise  party,  only  the  younger  mem- 
bers of  the  family  being  in  the  secret.  The 
plan  was  to  meet  at  the  home  of  the  eldest 
son,  Charlie  (dressed  in  costume),  and  start 
from  there,  arriving  at  Mr.  Joseph  Jeffer- 
son's house  in  a  body.  Mrs.  Charles  Jefferson 
had  purposely  been  sent  over  to  the  Jefferson 
home  with  her  young  baby  early  in  the  after- 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  83 

noon  and  was  to  remain  all  night.  She  had 
managed  to  keep  the  family  upstairs  after  din- 
ner and  so  entertained  them  with  the  baby  that 
the  men  about  the  place,  assisted  by  the  gar- 
dener, had  been  able  to  remove  the  furniture 
from  the  parlours  and  decorate  the  rooms  with- 
out the  family  suspecting  that  there  was  any- 
thing unusual  going  on. 

The  surprise  was  complete  when  the  young 
people  arrived;  among  them  Mr.  Joseph  Hol- 
land, who  had  been  their  guest  for  several  days, 
and  who  had  bade  them  good-bye  and  taken 
his  departure  several  hours  before.  But  instead 
of  taking  the  train,  Mr.  Holland  had  been 
driven  to  the  home  of  Mr.  Charles  Jefferson, 
and  later  in  the  evening  returned  with  the 
merrymakers  in  the  costume  of  a  vivan- 
diere. 

After  the  members  of  the  family  had  recov- 
ered from  their  surprise,  the  "  ball  "  was  opened 
by  a  stately  minuet,  danced  by  eight  of  the 
guests  in  court  costume,  Mr.  Jefferson's  son 
Tom  being  one  of  the  grand  dames  in  powder, 
patches,  and  paint. 

Mr.  Jefferson  was  very  fond  of  entertaining, 
and  many  noted  men  were  at  different  times  his 
guests  at  his  country  home.  At  one  time  he 
had  invited  Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  W.  Rapley  of 


84     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

Washington  to  visit  him.  Mr.  Rapley  accepted 
the  invitation  and  sent  Mr.  Jefferson  a  telegram 
on  Thursday  of  that  week,  saying  Mrs.  Rapley 
and  himself  would  arrive  on  the  following  Sat- 
urday. 

The  station  was  about  a  mile  and  a  half  from 
the  Jefferson  place,  and  when  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Rapley  arrived  at  Hohokus  upon  the  day 
stated,  they  found  no  conveyance  to  meet  them. 
Thinking  the  carriage  might  have  been  delayed, 
they  waited  in  the  little  country  station  about 
half  an  hour;  then,  thinking  that  there  might 
have  been  some  mistake,  Mr.  Rapley  made  in- 
quiries as  to  how  he  could  best  reach  Mr.  Jef- 
ferson's house,  and  finally  succeeded  in  getting 
an  old  conveyance  to  take  him  there.  As  he 
seated  Mrs.  Rapley  and  was  about  to  follow  her 
into  the  wagon,  the  station  master  inquired  of 
him: 

"You  goin'  over  to  Mr.  Joe  Jefferson's?" 

"That  is  where  we  expect  to  go,"  replied 
Mr.  Rapley,  looking  dubiously  at  the  wheels 
of  the  conveyance. 

"Well,  would  you  mind  carrying  him  this?" 
The  man  handed  Mr.  Rapley  a  yellow  en- 
velope. "  There  ain't  no  one  been  over  that  way 
for  a  couple  of  days." 

Upon  his  arrival  at  his  friends'  home,  and  after 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  85 

Mr.  Jefferson  had  greeted  him -with  surprise 
and  pleasure,  Mr.  Rapley  handed  the  envelope 
to  him,  saying  the  station  master  had  requested 
him  to  deliver  it.  Tearing  it  open,  Mr.  Jeffer- 
son burst  out  laughing.  "  No  wonder  you 
found  nobody  at  the  station  to  meet  you,"  he 
said.  "  You  have  delivered  your  own  tele- 
gram!" 

No  one  could  enjoy  a  joke  better  than  Joseph 
Jefferson,  nor  laugh  more  heartily  at  another's. 
He  also  possessed  the  gift  of  compelling  one  to 
laugh.  A  rich  vein  of  spontaneous  humour  ran 
through  all  he  said  and  did.  He  could  relate 
clearly  and  most  forcibly  his  varied  and  inter- 
esting experiences  with  the  calm,  unprejudiced 
deductions  of  a  philosopher,  together  with  the 
delightful  pleasantries  of  a  natural  humourist; 
he  was  most  faithful  to  the  things  he  loved,  and 
particularly  to  his  old  stories.  He  would  apol- 
ogise to  his  family  when  repeating  them,  per- 
haps at  the  request  of  a  guest  at  dinner,  espe- 
cially one  which  he  said  was  so  old  that  it  was 
almost  new.  All  stories  required  the  personality 
of  the  one  telling  the  story  to  give  them  their 
chief  charm,  but  in  this  case  especially  the 
quaint  humour  of  the  actor  came  into  play. 

This  story,  which  he  enjoyed  most  and  told 
ofttimes,  was  of  a  party  travelling  in  an  old- 


86     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

fashioned  omnibus,  which  had  stopped  at  a 
wayside  inn  for  dinner.  Being  warned  that  the 
'bus  was  about  to  start,  the  travellers  resumed 
their  places;  the  driver  mounted  the  box,  gath- 
ered up  the  reins  and  snapped  his  whip,  then 
turning  his  head  and  leaning  down  so  as  to  be 
heard  by  the  passengers,  he  inquired  in  a  loud 
voice: 

"All  full  inside?"  to  which  a  fat  man,  plac- 
ing both  hands  upon  his  stomach,  replied: 

"  I  don't  know  about  the  rest  of  'em,  but  / 
am!" 

Mr.  Jefferson  was  at  his  home  In  Hohokus 
during  the  election  of  November,  1884.  ^^  used 
to  say  that  an  actor  should  not  vote,  because  he 
must  have  the  sympathy  of  his  audience,  and  a 
Democrat  cannot  sympathise  with  a  Republi- 
can, nor  vice  versa,  so  the  actor  should  be 
neither  one  nor  the  other,  especially  as  his  pro- 
fessional duties  take  him  from  city  to  city,  and 
it  is  seldom  that  he  remains  a  citizen  of  one 
place  long  enough  to  entitle  him  to  a  vote. 

Mr.  Jefferson,  however,  wished  to  vote  for 
Mr.  Cleveland  at  his  first  election,  and  two 
friends  called  at  his  home  and  drove  him  to 
the  polls.  When  the  slip  was  handed  to  him, 
he  read  the  names  upon  it  and  then  handed  it 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  87 

back,  saying  that  he  wanted  to  vote  for  Mr. 
Cleveland. 

After  an  explanation  concerning  the  electors 
had  been  given,  he  cast  his  vote — "  but,  under 
protest,"  he  said,  "  as  I  assure  you  I  have  not 
the  acquaintance  of  any  of  these  gentlemen," 
indicating  the  names  of  the  electors  upon  the 
slips. 


88     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 
CHAPTER  VII 

AUTHOR  AND  ORATOR 

And  now  I  must  end  my  life,  not  "  with  a  bare  bodkin," 

but  with  a  harmless  goose  quill,  and,  however    painful  the 

suicide  may  be  to  me,  it  is  a  satisfaction  to  know  that  with 

the  same  blow  I  have  put  an  end  to  the  sufferings  of  my 

readers.  ^  ,      . 

Jefferson  s  Autobiography. 

JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  was  not  only  a  self- 
made  man,  he  was  self-educated  as  well. 
His  versatility  was  denoted  by  his  acting, 
his  skill  with  the  brush,  and  by  his  use  of  the 
pen. 

The  publication  of  his  Autobiography 
brought  the  actor  before  the  public  in  a  new 
light,  and  gave  him  a  great  literary  audience. 

The  interesting  story  of  his  life  was  written 
in  compliance  with  the  request  of  many  of  his 
friends,  and  has  justly  been  called  a  master- 
piece. The  volume  is  one  of  great  interest,  and 
bears  witness  to  the  fact  that  the  writer  was  not 
a  stranger  to  literary  work. 

At  one  time  his  publishers,  desiring  to  more 
fully  understand  a  statement  made  in  the  man- 
uscript concerning  a  family  name,  but  not  wish- 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  ~     89 

ing  to  trouble  Mr.  Jefferson  about  the  matter, 
wrote  to  one  of  his  sons  asking  the  information. 
He,  however,  being  unable  to  give  to  the  pub- 
lishers that  part  of  the  family  history,  wrote  to 
his  father,  receiving  the  following  reply: 

My  Dear  Tom: 

Your     grandmother's     name     was     Cornelia. — Mine     is 
Joseph.  Your  affectionate 

Father. 

Previous  to  the  story  of  his  life,  Mr.  Jef- 
ferson had  written  quite  a  number  of  poems 
and  several  articles  upon  the  stage;  these,  to- 
gether with  a  brief  address,  spiced  by  pleasant 
anecdotes,  had  for  their  feature  the  contrast  be- 
tween the  actor  and  the  orator  (a  sound  ven- 
ture in  criticism  of  which  he  made  the  most). 
He  also  wrote  a  poem  in  reply  to  Ignatius  Don- 
nelly's cryptogram  on  the  Shakespeare-Bacon 
argument.  "  Lord  Bacon  wrote  Shakespeare's 
plays,  did  he?"  he  used  to  say.  "And  he  was 
ashamed  to  be  known  as  a  poet?  Perhaps  it 
was  not  fashionable  to  be  known  as  a  play- 
wright in  the  days  of  good  Queen  Bess;  but 
no  one  had  need  to  hide  his  poetical  light  un- 
der a  bushel — no,  sir;  you  may  depend  upon  it 
that  if  Shakespeare  did  not  write  his  plays  they 
were  written  by  another  fellow  of  the  same 
name." 


90    INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

This  idea  he  elaborated  into  a  poem  which 
he  sent  to  Mr.  Donnelly,  the  result  being  a 
merry  correspondence  between  the  two.  Later 
Mr.  Jefferson  read  the  poem  before  the  faculty 
of  Yale  University,  and  it  has  been  added  to  the 
later  editions  of  his  Autobiography. 

The  criticisms  of  Mr.  Jefferson's  book  were 
most  complimentary.  Mr.  William  Winter 
says:  "Its  characteristics  are  those  of  the 
writer,  originality,  simplicity,  gentleness,  and 
charm."  Another  remarks:  "Few  men  have 
related  the  important  events  of  their  own  lives 
in  a  more  genial  style,  and  few  books  are 
more  readable.  It  is  neither  didactic  nor 
egotistic." 

The  fact  is  that  in  this  last  respect  there  is  a 
singular  lack,  as  the  author  even  fails  to  state 
— except  through  the  medium  of  an  old  press 
notice — the  year  in  which  he  was  born  (1829), 
and  the  only  regret  attached  to  the  book  is  that 
he  did  not  relate  more  about  himself,  and  cover 
even  a  wider  field  of  personal  reminiscences. 

The  work  is  so  human  that  one  in  reading  it 
becomes  conscious  of  a  longing  to  know  more  of 
the  writer  whose  modest  nature,  in  relating 
events  of  other  people  and  places,  causes  him, 
in  many  instances,  to  hide  his  own  individuality. 

In  his  introduction  to  his  book,  the  author 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  91 

quotes  the  Irishman  who  said:  "  No  man  should 
write  his  autobiography  but  himself." 

Paddy  might  also  have  added  to  this  wise 
reflection  that  he  ought  to  write  it  while  he  is 
alive  I 

Mr.  Jefferson's  Autobiography  is  written  with 
the  humour  one  would  expect  from  him,  and 
is  filled  with  the  gentle  spirit  of  raillery  that 
marked  his  method  on  the  stage.  The  anec- 
dotes are  droll,  and  the  whole  narrative  terse 
and  pointed  to  a  degree.  "  As  an  example  of 
writing  it  may  be  fairly  described  as  brilliant." 
A  fine  description  is  given  of  the  entrance  to  the 
harbour  at  Sydney. 

"  His  account  of  the  skeleton  dance  in  Aus- 
tralia, as  he  saw  it  performed  by  the  black  na- 
tives of  that  land,  and  of  his  meeting  with  the 
haunted  hermit  in  the  woods,  also  of  the  play 
given  in  a  Chinese  theatre,  are  compositions  that 
would  impart  to  any  book  the  interest  of  adven- 
ture and  the  zest  of  novelty. 

"  In  one  chapter  there  is  a  picture  given  of 
that  ancient  supper  room,  No.  2  Bullfinch  Place, 
Boston.  Miss  Fisher's  kitchen  as  it  existed  when 
old  William  Warren  sat  behind  the  platter  of 
lobsters,  at  the  head  of  the  table,  while  the  pol- 
ished pewters  reflected  the  light,  and  wit  and 
'guying'  enlivened  the  brilliant  throng." 


92     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

Many  a  face  was  wreathed  in  smiles  that  will 
not  again  be  seen  until  immortality  is  realised, 
and  eternity  an  established  fact  of  consciousness. 

Some  years  ago  Mr.  Jefferson  received  a  let- 
ter from  one  of  the  inmates  of  a  State  prison 
where  he  had  delivered  an  address  to  the  pris- 
oners. 

The  letter  said  that  the  presence  of  Mr.  Jef- 
ferson among  them  had  taken  the  writer  back 
to  the  time  when  he  had  been  a  young  man,  full 
of  hope.  He  had  been  taken  by  a  friend  to 
see  Mr.  Jefferson  act,  and  was  so  enthusiastic 
that  his  friend  had  told  him  of  the  Autobiog- 
raphy, in  which  he  could  find  out  all  about  the 
actor's  life.  He  said  he  wanted  that  book  more 
than  he  had  ever  wanted  anything  in  his  life, 
but  he  was  very  poor  and  had  no  way  of  earning 
the  money.  He  lived  in  the  country  and  was 
getting  his  education  in  town,  riding  twelve 
miles  daily  on  horseback,  but  his  desire  for  the 
book  was  so  great  that  he  gave  up  the  horse  and 
walked  the  distance,  so  he  could  have  the  money 
to  buy  Mr.  Jefferson's  Autobiography.  Before 
he  had  read  very  far,  his  home  was  burned;  and 
he  had  never  finished  the  book.  From  that 
time  he  had  started  on  the  career  which  had 
landed  him  where  he  was,  in  State  prison. 

Needless  to  say,  he  received  not  only  a  letter 


CopyriKhl,  19(11,  T.  E.  M:i 


MR.  JEFFERSON 

FROM    A    I'HOTOCIRAPH    TAKEN    ABOUT   THE    YEAR     I  889,    AT  THE    TIME    HE 


WAS    WRniNG    HIS    AUTOBIOGRAPHY 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  93 

of  hope  and  encouragement  from  Mr.  Jefferson, 
but  a  copy  of  his  Autobiography  as  well. 

After  the  publication  of  his  Autobiography, 
Mr.  Jefferson  was  frequently  called  upon  to 
lecture  upon  dramatic  and  pictorial  art.  His 
addresses  were  characterised  by  depth  and 
clearness  of  insight,  keenness  of  wit  and  happi- 
ness of  expression. 

He  delivered  a  lecture  before  the  Outlook 
Club  of  Montclair,  New  Jersey,  which  was  the 
winter  home  of  his  son,  Thomas,  and  his  family. 
At  dinner,  his  grandchildren  were  much  inter- 
ested in  hearing  him  talk  about  the  subject  of 
his  lecture  for  that  evening.  He  told  them  that 
at  the  end  of  his  talk  he  always  invited  his  au- 
dience to  ask  questions  and  how  much  he  en- 
joyed answering  them.  As  he  left  the  dining- 
room  and  walked  with  a  slight  limp  into  the 
library,  his  youngest  granddaughter  took  his 
hand,  and  looking  up  into  his  face  said: 
"  Grandfather,  /  would  like  to  ask  you  a  ques- 
tion." 

Mr.  Jefferson  was  much  pleased,  and  taking 
the  little  girl  upon  his  knee,  he  seated  himself. 
"Well,  my  dear,  what  is  it?" 

His  granddaughter  hesitated  a  moment,  then 
looking  down  at  the  feet  of  her  grandfather, 
she  innocently  asked: 


94     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

"  Do  all  lecturers  have  to  wear  tight  patent 
leather  shoes?  " 

This  was  a  question,  as  Mr.  Jefferson  told 
his  audience  later  in  the  evening,  that  had  never 
been  asked  him  before  and  one  which  he  was 
unable  to  answer! 

His  favourite  way  of  introducing  himself  and 
his  subject  to  an  audience  after  the  generous  re- 
ception with  which  they  greeted  him  was  to 
thank  them  and  say: 

'*  You  know,  a  speaker  as  well  as  an  actor  likes 
applause — thank  you! — He  likes  it  for  two  rea- 
sons: the  first  is  that  it  proves  to  him  that  he 
is  appreciated;  the  second  is — that  it  gives  him 
a  chance  to  think  what  he  is  going  to  say  next! 

"Apropos  of  this,  I  am  reminded  of  an  anec- 
dote. Mr.  Florence  and  I  were  giving  our 
farewell  in  English  comedy  in  New  York.  He 
said  to  me  the  morning  of  the  last  day,  'We 
shall  more  than  likely  be  asked  to  say  something 
to-night  in  reference  to  our  departure.  Would 
it  not  be  better  to  prepare  in  the  morning  and 
not  trust  to  the  evening?'  I  thought  it  was  a 
wise  precaution,  and  we  prepared  our  little 
extemporaneous  wit.  He  was  to  make  some  re- 
mark as  if  it  had  just  occurred  to  him,  and  I 
was  to  reply  to  it  as  if  I  had  never  heard  it 
before.    We  were  very  nervous,  as  I  always  am 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  95 

on  such  occasions,  but  we  were  well  prepared. 
The  ladies  and  gentlemen  were  willing  to  listen 
to  what  we  had  to  say  during  the  play;  the  cur- 
tain went  down, — but  they  did  not  call  us  out  at 
all!  So  you  see  the  importance  of  preparation. 
Mr.  Lowell  said  that  the  best  after-dinner 
speeches  he  ever  got  off  were  those  he  made 
going  home  in  the  cab.  As  I  do  not  want  to 
make  the  best  part  of  my  address  on  my  return 
to  New  York,  I  will  refresh  my  memory  by  re- 
ferring to  a  few  notes,  or  headings. 

'' ORATORY  AND  ACTING 

"  In  the  beginning  let  me  speak  of  oratory 
and  acting.  It  is  important.  Many  actors  have 
wondered  why  they  have  not  succeeded  on  the 
rostrum,  and  many  orators  have  been  surprised 
that  they  have  failed  on  the  stage.  It  is  be- 
cause the  attributes  of  the  two,  while  identical 
up  to  a  certain  point,  after  that  separate.  As 
for  instance,  the  orator,  like  the  actor,  should 
have  a  good  voice,  clear  articulation,  graceful 
gesture,  impressive  manner,  and,  above  all,  per- 
sonal magnetism.  Here  the  attributes  are  iden- 
tical, and,  as  I  said  before,  here  they  separate. 
The  orator  must  be  impressive;  it  is  most  im- 
portant that  the  actor  should  be  impressionable. 
To  speak  more  clearly,  the  orator  impresses  his 


96     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

audience  by  what  he  says  to  it,  whereas  the  actor 
is  most  effective  when  he  shows  how  he  is  im- 
pressed by  what  is  said  to  him.  Take  the  scene 
where  Othello  rebukes  Cassio.  Cassio  makes 
no  reply;  he  stands  dejected,  head  bowed,  eyes 
on  the  ground,  showing  by  his  whole  manner 
that  he  acknowledges  the  justice  of  the  Moor's 
rebuke.  There  is  no  oratory  here.  The  oratory 
is  confined  to  Othello;  Cassio  shows  how  he  is 
affected  by  what  is  said  to  him.  Juliet  shows 
by  her  ecstasy  how  she  delights  in  the  pleadings 
of  Romeo's  love.  Here  is  no  oratory.  The  same 
truth  holds  in  all  the  arts.  In  painting  the 
painter  is  the  orator;  he  depicts  groups  of  char- 
acters such  as  I  see  in  the  pictures  about  me. 
In  battle  scenes,  and  all  scenes  where  the  char- 
acters are  affected  by  the  surroundings,  we  see 
the  dramatic  part  of  painting.  In  music  the  solo 
singer  represents  the  orator;  the  orchestra,  in 
the  rendering  of  the  symphony,  the  actors.  In 
literature  the  journalist  and  essayist  are  the  ora- 
tors, while  the  novelist  who  describes  the  differ- 
ent characters  gives  us  the  dramatic  quality  of 
literature.  I  do  not  disparage  the  art  of  oratory 
— ^^do  not  think  it — on  the  contrary,  it  is  as  great 
a  gift  as  that  of  acting.  It  amazes  me  to  see 
sometimes  one  man  stand  up  and  take  complete 
possession  of  an  audience  by  his  impressive  maa- 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  97 

ner.  They  often  do  not  know  what  he  is  say- 
ing; sometimes  the  orator  does  not  know  him- 
self; but  he  has  that  powerful  magnetism.  I 
do  not  disparage  the  art  of  oratory,  I  merely 
wish  to  draw  the  distinction  between  the  two, 
and  for  this  purpose.  There  are  many  here 
studying  for  their  future  professions.  A  few 
may  go  upon  the  stage,  many  will  be  lawyers, 
statesmen,  preachers,  and  orators  in  the  various 
callings  of  their  life.  So  it  will  be  to  your  ad- 
vantage if  those  who  are  not  impressionable  will 
cease  thinking  of  the  stage,  and  those  who  are 
impressive  embrace  oratory.  If  you  are  both 
impressionable  and  impressive,  you  can  embrace 
either.  If  you  are  impressive,  dogmatic,  I 
should  say  oratory;  if  you  have  warmth  and  are 
easily  affected,  perhaps  to  tears,  by  sentiment, 
and  have  a  fair  amount  of  wit  and  humour,  then 
I  should  say  the  stage.  These  are  merely  sug- 
gestions, and  you  must  take  what  I  say  with  a 
certain  amount  of  caution,  for  I  am  not  quite 
sure  that  my  remarks  are  correct. 

''art  and  genius 

"  I  would  now  like  to  discuss  a  matter  about 
which  there  are  very  many  different  opinions, 
— art  and  genius,  where  the  one  begins  and 
where  the  other  leaves  ofif.    It  is  a  very  difficult 


98     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

matter  to  describe  genius.  Art  is  quite  simple, 
but  genius  is  one  of  those  slippery  gentlemen 
that  as  soon  as  you  put  your  finger  on  him,  he 
is  gone.  Genius  is  very  apt  to  despise  art,  and 
when  she  does  so,  genius  makes  a  very  great  mis- 
take, for  art  is  the  hand-maid  of  genius.  Genius 
produces,  but  art  reproduces.  Genius  may  dye 
the  hues  that  resemble  those  of  the  rainbow;  art 
fixes  the  colours  that  they  may  stand,  and  this 
is  why  art  is  so  important  in  my  profession — 
more  so  than  in  any  other  profession.  We  can- 
not repeat  our  art.  The  painter  can  alter  his 
picture;  the  musician  can  rehearse  his  music 
and  make  such  alterations  as  he  thinks  proper 
before  it  goes  to  the  public;  the  same  is  true  of 
the  writer.  But  the  actor  cannot  alter;  the  pic- 
ture that  he  represents  that  night  is  gone  from 
him  forever;  it  is  no  satisfaction  if  he  does  it 
better  on  the  next  night.  He  cannot  come  out 
and  say,  '  Excuse  me,  ladies  and  gentlemen,  if 
you  will  allow  me  to  act  that  over  I  will  do  it  a 
great  deal  better.'  Art  enables  us  to  produce 
and  reproduce  the  effect  over  and  over  again.  I 
do  not  believe  that  the  actor  can  perform  his  part 
too  often  if  he  does  not  lose  interest  in  it.  But 
if,  after  continued  repetitions,  the  old  story  fails 
to  kindle  the  fire,  he  becomes  dull  and  sing- 
songy,  reads  in  a  monotonous  tone,  and  ends  by 


By  courteiy  of  the  American  Art  Associ;itinn,  New  York 

PORTRAIT  OF   KEMBLE 

GEORGE  HENRY  HARLOW,  I787— 1819 

Formerly  in  tlie  Jefferson  collection 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  99 

wearying  the  audience  and  himself  too.  To  il- 
lustrate this,  Mr.  Macready,  the  celebrated 
actor,  complained  to  Mrs.  Warner,  a  noted  ac- 
tress, that  one  of  his  great  speeches  failed.  When 
he  spoke  it  years  ago,  it  went  with  a  round 
of  applause.  '  Last  night  it  had  no  effect.  Is 
it  the  fault  of  the  audience?  Is  it  an  old  story 
with  them?  '  '  No,'  was  her  answer,  '  it  is  an  old 
story  with  you!  The  character  has  been  ac- 
cused of  a  theft  by  his  son.  In  defence  he  urges 
that  his  enemy  was  in  his  power,  and  he  might 
have  put  his  knife  to  his  throat.  A  purse  was 
lying  on  the  table.  Was  it  an  easy  thing  to  drop 
the  knife  and  be  content  with  petty  plunder? 
*  When  you  spoke  that  speech  ten  years  ago,' 
Mrs.  Warner  went  on,  '  you  spoke  it  like  a  man 
In  the  presence  of  his  son,  accused  of  theft. 
You  hardly  knew  what  to  say;  you  hesitated; 
you  cast  about  for  words;  you  stood  abashed 
and  acted  like  an  honest  man  who  was  for  th^ 
first  time  accused  of  theft.  You  make  that 
speech  now  as  if  you  had  been  accustomed  to 
steal  all  your  life,  and  always  had  an  excuse 
ready.' 

"TRAGEDY  AND   COMEDY 

"Now,    as    between    tragedy    and    comedy. 
There  is  in  England  a  picture  of  Garrick  be- 


loo     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

tween  tragedy  and  comedy.  Garrick  was  asked 
which  he  considered  the  more  difficult.  '  Ah, 
sir,  whether  I  am  ill  or  well,  dull  or  in  high 
spirits,  I  am  always  equal  to  tragedy,  but  com- 
edy is  a  serious  business.'  He  meant  that  com- 
edy requires  a  certain  amount  of  earnestness 
and  depth  that  is  not  usually  given  to  it.  Farce 
is  not  comedy.  In  true  comedy,  if  a  man  is 
placed  in  a  difficult  position,  he  must  take  it 
seriously,  however  humorous  it  appears  to  the 
audience.  Dogberry,  for  instance,  when  he 
hears  that  the  lady  Hero  was  slandered,  ex- 
claims, '  Flat  burglary  as  ever  was  committed.' 
He  saw  nothing  peculiar  about  the  word  bur- 
glary, and  the  actor  must  be  as  serious  and  as 
earnest  as  Hamlet  when  he  speaks  to  the  skull. 
The  two  clowns,  the  grave-diggers,  are  ignorant 
men;  but  they  think  that  they  are  wonderful 
philosophers.  If  the  actors  show  by  their  man- 
ner that  they  understand  the  humour  of  the 
play,  they  spoil  everything.  (Mr.  Jefferson 
gave  part  of  the  scene  between  the  grave- 
diggers.) 

"  I  am  very  much  complimented  by  this  au- 
dience, not  only  within  the  hall,  but  outside  as 
well.  It  cannot  be  much  comfort  to  them,  but 
it  is  certainly  very  flattering  to  me.  It  reminds 
me  of  an  anecdote.     It  is  that  of  a  preacher.    I 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  loi 

am  reminded  of  it  by  the  situation  of  the  gen- 
tlemen in  the  doorways  and  halls.  The  church 
was  so  arranged  that  the  gallery  in  the  back  of 
the  church  came  forward  for  some  distance,  and 
the  large  portion  of  the  people  under  it  could 
not  hear  what  was  said  at  all.  They  of  course 
did  not  derive  much  Christian  benefit  from  that, 
so  this  preacher,  after  one  of  his  great  perora- 
tions, would  step  down  and  shout  out  some  of 
the  important  points  of  the  sermon.  They  were 
in  a  position  like  these  gentlemen  outside  the 
door.  On  one  occasion,  after  a  tremendous 
effort,  when  he  had  been  warning  them,  '  If 
you  don't  repent  you  will  all  be  damned,'  he 
stooped  down,  pointed  under  the  gallery,  and 
cried  out:  'You,  there,  under  the  gallery,  you 
will  all  be  damned.' 

"THE   'STARRING'   SYSTEM 

"  I  have  been  asked  whether  I  did  not  con- 
sider the  starring  system  a  very  great  injury  both 
to  the  public  and  to  the  stage.  There  was  a  time 
when  I  considered  it  the  most  pernicious  that 
could  be  put  upon  the  public.  Since  then  I  have 
altered  my  opinion.  If  we  go  far  enough  back, 
we  shall  find  that  Shakespeare  invented  the  star 
system.  The  principal  characters  in  his  plays 
are  undoubtedly  stars — Hamlet,  Shylock,  Mac- 


I02     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

beth,  Richard,  etc.  How  about  Romeo  and 
Juliet?  They  were  two,  but  their  interests  were 
so  identical  that  they  were  a  double  star;  they 
shone  with  but  a  single  ray.  We  can  go  farther 
back.  Thespis  was  a  star;  he  was  the  only  one 
of  the  company.  Shakespeare  intended  to  illus- 
trate the  passions  by  all  of  his  plays — in 
Othello,  jealousy;  in  Macbeth,  fate;  in  Cor- 
iolanus,  the  autocrat;  in  Shylock,  revenge,  etc. 
In  Romeo  and  Juliet  he  intended  to  illustrate 
the  passion  of  love,  and  he  could  not  do  that 
with  one.  Of  Romeo  and  Juliet  there  is  a 
story  told,  and  it  illustrates  the  philosophy  of 
the  dramatic  art  and  the  wonderful  flexibility  of 
Shakespeare's  characters,  that  they  can  be  con- 
ceived and  executed  upon  entirely  different 
lines,  according  to  the  conception  of  different 
actors.  David  Garrick  and  Barrie  were  play- 
ing Romeo  in  London,  and  one  seemed  to  have 
as  much  power  with  audiences  as  the  other, 
though  the  men  were  entirely  different.  Gar- 
rick was  small  in  stature  and  insignificant,  while 
OBarrie  was  an  imposing  man,  tall,  with  splen- 
did physique  and  a  most  beautiful  voice.  Lon- 
don was  divided  as  to  which  was  the  best  Ro- 
meo. Mrs.  Seward,  who  was  playing  Juliet  for 
both,  was  consulted.  This  was  a  very  difficult 
question  for  the  lady  to  answer.  '  The  gentlemen 


THE  COLLECTOR 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  103 

play  the  part  so  differently  and  yet  so  magnifi- 
cently that  it  is  very  difficult  for  me  to  decide. 
I  will  show  you  the  effect  that  they  have  on  me, 
and  you  can  draw  your  own  conclusions.  In 
the  balcony  scene  when  Garrick  is  making  love 
to  me  as  Romeo,  he  is  so  eager  and  so  ardent 
that  I  am  afraid  every  minute  that  he  will  leap 
up  to  me;  and  when  I  act  with  Barrie  he  is  so 
fascinating  that  I  have  to  control  myself  for 
fear  that  I  will  jump  down  to  him.'" 

Becoming  delightfully  reminiscent,  Mr.  Jef- 
ferson told  of  the  odd  tasks  demanded  of  the 
old  stock  companies  in  their  day,  when  they  had 
to  support  the  different  stars.  "  For  example," 
he  said,  "  one  week  I  handled  a  stock  company 
in  the  support  of  Booth  in  Shakespearean  trag- 
edy, and  the  following  week  I  led  the  same  com- 
pany in  a  comic  opera.  I  don't  know  just  where 
I  led  them — but  I  led  them." 

On  the  whole,  Mr.  Jefferson  thought  that  the 
abolition  of  the  old  stock  company  was  better 
for  the  public,  as  it  gave  more  time  and  oppor- 
tunity for  the  selection  of  plays  and  their  prep- 
aration, also  for  the  supporting  company,  which 
is  now  carefully  chosen  with  the  idea  of  the  fit- 
ness of  each  member  for  a  certain  part. 

Mr.  Jefferson,  as  was  his  custom,  invited  his 
audience  to  ask  questions.    The  first  one  caused 


I04     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

him  to  smile,  for  he  said  it  was  the  one  most 
frequently  asked.  It  concerned  the  morality  of 
the  stage  and  the  modern  problem  play.  His 
reply  to  the  question  was: 

"  If  you  did  not  go  to  see  such  plays  the 
management  could  not  afford  to  put  them  on  the 
stage." 

In  response  to  other  questions,  the  speaker 
talked  about  the  position  of  the  actor.  "  His 
difficulty  is  that  he  must  at  the  same  time  please 
three  orders  of  the  public  intelligence.  H^e  can 
neither  be  too  refined  for  one  class,  too  crude  for 
another,  nor  too  unconventional  for  a  third." 

"  How  does  the  personnel  of  the  stage  com- 
pare with  that  of  forty  years  ago,  Mr.  Jeffer- 
son?" was  asked  by  a  young  man  in  the  audi- 
ence. 

"  I  may  be  old-fashioned  in  my  notions  about 
realism  on  the  stage,"  was  the  reply,  made  with 
a  smile  and  the  well-known  twinkle  of  the  eye, 
"but  I  must  protest  against  the  tendency  to 
make  me  appear  antiquated,  as  such  a  question 
certainly  does.  I  can  only  say  that  human  na- 
ture is  much  the  same  in  all  periods,  and  I  must 
admit  that  I  do  not  see  any  great  change  in  the 
class  of  people  who  seek  the  stage  for  a  liveli- 
hood. Of  course  as  the  people  who  were  on  the 
stage  forty  years  ago  are  nearly  all  departed,  I 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  105 

think  it  but  right  that  we  should  give  them  '  a 
shade  the  best  of  it,'  if  a  specific  answer  to  the 
question  is  insisted  upon;  but  I  know  of  no  rea- 
son for  doing  so,  unless  it  be  that  they  are  not 
here  to  defend  themselves." 

"  Is  the  tendency  to  realism  in  dramatic  pro- 
ductions following  the  French  school  of  realis- 
tic romance,  to  be  considered  a  movement  in 
the  right  direction?"  was  asked.  Mr.  Jefiferson 
replied:  "Personally  I  do  not  care  for  realism 
upon  the  stage.  I  feel  that  it  should  and  prob- 
ably will  die  out.  I  believe  it  to  be  only  a  fad, 
which,  like  all  other  fads,  must  have  its  run. 
My  opinion  is  that  of  all  things,  plays  which 
border  on  the  poetic,  or  plays  of  the  immortal 
Shakespeare,  should  have  nothing  of  realism  in 
them. 

"  A  good  actor  or  actress  has  no  need  of  the 
assistance  of  these  stage  tricks.  They  afifect  the 
poetry  of  lines  and  the  poetry  of  action  and  situ- 
ation. 

"  Dramas  of  the  really  grand  class  are  always 
realistic,  and  any  attempt  at  mechanical  realism 
is  sure  to  injure  them  more  or  less,  at  least  in 
my  opinion.  I  do  not  believe  that  the  introduc- 
tion of  cabbage  and  potatoes  in  the  banquet  scene 
in  Macbeth  would  make  the  play  one  bit  more 
interesting  than  it  is  without  them." 


io6     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

Mr.  Jefferson  would  often  close  his  lectures 
with  an  anecdote,  one  of  his  favourites  being 
the  story  of  a  letter  which  he  had  received  after 
playing  Rip  in  an  Indiana  town.  The  writer 
said  that  he  had  seen  the  play  and  had  been  so 
pleased  and  elevated  by  the  performance  that  he 
felt  himself  under  a  great  obligation  to  Mr. 
Jefferson.  He  said  that  the  only  way  he  could 
repay  him  was  to  ask  him  to  kindly  accept,  as 
a  present,  one  of  his  new  patented  spring  beds, 
with  the  hope  that  he  would  enjoy  sleeping  upon 
it  as  much  as  he — the  inventor — had  enjoyed  his 
performance  of  Rip. 

After  the  laughter  which  greeted  this  story, 
told  in  the  well-known  Jeffersonian  way,  had 
subsided,  the  speaker  would  quietly  add: 

"  I  forgot  to  say  that  my  correspondent's  name 
was  Dunk,  and  that  there  was  a  postscript  to  his 
letter,  asking  that  if  I  liked  the  bed,  would  I 
kindly  mention  the  fact  in  the  third  act  of 
Rip,  when  I  awakened  from  my  long  sleep, 
by  saying  that  I  was  sure  I  would  have  enjoyed 
my  nap  much  better  had  I  slept  on  one  of 
'  Dunk's  patent  beds.' " 

Sometimes  Mr.  Jefferson  would  tell  of  some 
of  his  experiences  in  connection  with  the  pro- 
duction of  Rip  Van  Winkle. 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  107 

"  I  was  playing  once  in  Salt  Lake  City.  In 
those  days  I  did  not  travel  with  my  own  com- 
pany, and  I  had  to  take  the  company  that  I 
found  there.  They  were  all  Mormons.  In  the 
scene  where  Rip  comes  into  the  mountains,  at 
the  rehearsal  the  Mormon  demon  was  not  in- 
structed to  nod  the  second  time.  In  the  evening 
when  I  said,  'You  are  another  fellow?'  he 
nodded  his  head  properly,  but  when  I  said  to 
him,  *  You  are  that  other  chap's  brother? '  much 
to  my  astonishment  he  replied : 

" '  Naw,  he  ain't  me  broder!'" 

Mr.  Jefferson  continued: 

"Once  I  was  playing  a  special  matinee  per- 
formance at  one  of  the  big  benefits  for  charity, 
which  included  an  act  from  every  attraction  in 
town  that  week.  My  act — the  farce  Lend  Me 
Five  Shillings — followed  immediately  after  the 
act  from  a  problem  play,  and  the  ladies  and 
gentlemen  of  my  supporting  company  stood 
waiting  upon  the  stage.  I  had  not  left  my  dress- 
ing-room, where  I  sat  ready  to  be  called.  Pres- 
ently I  saw  my  company  leave  the  stage,  and  I 
stepped  to  the  door  to  ask  where  they  were  go- 
ing. The  leading  lady  replied  that  they  had 
been  standing  in  the  wings  watching  the  play 
(which  I  believe  was  Sapho),  when  the  star 


io8     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

had  sent  word  requesting  them  to  leave,  as  she 
did  not  care  to  have  them  witness  the  perform- 
ance. 

'"Dear  me,'  I  said,  *  is  it  as  bad  as  that?'" 

As  a  speaker  in  clubs  and  colleges,  Joseph 
Jefferson  was  well  known.  Upon  one  occasion 
he  delivered  a  lecture  before  the  students  of 
Johns  Hopkins  in  Baltimore,  at  the  close  of 
which  he  left  the  building  to  take  his  carriage. 
It  stood  at  the  door,  but  instead  of  horses  he 
found  the  young  men  of  the  university  had  with- 
drawn them  and  taken  their  places,  and  with 
laughter  and  college  yells  he  was  drawn  back 
to  the  hotel  at  which  he  was  stopping.  The  car- 
riage was  filled  with  flowers,  and  as  Mr.  Jeffer- 
son stood  up,  the  boys  gave  him  a  rousing  cheer, 
to  which  the  lecturer  responded :  "  Young  gen- 
tlemen, I  thank  you — and  believe  me  when  I 
tell  you  that  never  before  have  I  felt  so  much 
like  a  prima  donna!" 

Yale  gave  to  Joseph  Jefferson  an  LL.D. 
Harvard  also  conferred  the  degree  upon  him. 

These  honours,  though  unexpected,  gave  him 
a  pleasure  quite  apart  from  vanity,  as  he  re- 
garded them  as  the  just  recognition  of  his  pro- 
fession. 

His  first  lecture  was  given  at  Yale  College  in 


Photo  In-  Thos.  Jefferson 

MR.    GOIIGHTLV    IN   "LEND   ME    FIVE    SHILLINGS 


THE    PART    IN    WHICH    MR.    JEFFERSON    LAST    AI'PEARED 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  109 

April,  1892,  upon  which  occasion  he  was  intro- 
duced by  his  friend,  Professor  Weir.  At  the 
close  of  his  discourse,  Mr.  Jefferson  said: 

"  It  has  been  proposed  that  I  should  have 
some  questions  asked  me,  and  that  I  should  an- 
swer them.  It  has  also  been  understood  that  I 
was  not  to  know  them  beforehand,  and  I  do  not. 
Even  if  you  do  not  believe  me,  you  will  have 
confidence  in  him  who  is  one  of  your  own  col- 
lege.   What  are  the  questions,  Mr.  Weir?" 

"  What  do  you  think  of  the  German  criticism 
of  Shakespeare,  that  comedy  and  tragedy  should 
not  both  be  prominent  characteristics  in  one 
play?" 

"  Samuel  Weller  says,  when  asked  how  to 
spell  his  name,  that  it  depends  on  the  taste  and 
fancy  of  the  speller.  It  depends  on  the  audience. 
If  part  of  the  audience  is  philosophical,  I  have 
no  doubt  that  the  humour  in  tragedy  might  dis- 
turb them;  but  that  is  not  true  with  others. 
Shakespeare  was  the  greatest  dramatic  master. 
The  Germans  naturally  believe  in  their  Schiller 
and  Goethe;  yet  we  cannot  go  aside  from  Shake- 
speare, and  he  seldom  departs  from  putting 
some  kind  of  humour  into  his  tragedy.  I  think 
Macbeth  and  Lear  may  possibly  form  the  two 
exceptions;  possibly,  Richard  III;  yet  even  in 


no     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

him  there  is  a  certain  grimness  which  may  well 
be  called  humour." 

"  To  what  extent  may  an  actor  lose  himself 
in  his  part  while  manifesting  strong  emotion?" 

"  That  question  has  been  discussed  before,  and 
I  am  fairly  well  prepared  to  answer  it.  One  of 
the  first  actors  on  the  English  stage  has  said  that 
you  should  feel  emotion  up  to  the  point  of  shed- 
ding real  tears.  Another  famous  actor  on  the 
French  stage  says  you  should  not  feel  it  at  all; 
that  by  becoming  too  emotional  you  disturb  the 
balance  of  your  art.  Here  are  two  who  differ 
entirely.  Each  has  to  decide  for  himself.  Mr. 
Irving  could  not  advise  the  French  master,  nor 
the  French  master  Mr.  Irving.  For  my  own 
part,  I  prefer  to  have  a  cool  head  and  a  warm 
heart.  Shakespeare  seems  to  analyse  it  more 
clearly  than  anyone  else.  In  Hamlet's  advice 
to  the  players,  he  counsels  them  that  there  should 
be  emotion,  but  he  also  counsels  that  it  should 
not  run  away  with  them." 

"  What  reasons  are  there  for  teaching  dra- 
matic art  in  a  university?" 

"  I  naturally  think  that  the  best  place  to  teach 
it  is  upon  the  stage.  But  I  do  not  see  why  the 
cardinal  principles  of  acting — and  they  are  only 
four  or  five — should  not  be  taught  in  the  uni- 
versity, as  well  as  the  art  of  painting  or  the  art 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  iii 

of  literature  or  the  art  of  sculpture.  The  pri- 
mary branches  connected  with  the  stage  might 
very  easily  be  taught.  The  university  is  not 
the  only  place.  The  student  who  studies  for  the 
stage  cannot  act  in  the  university.  He  must  go 
on  the  stage  to  learn  his  profession.  The  mem- 
bers of  my  profession  think  it  is  absurd  to  study 
acting  ofif  the  stage;  I  do  not  agree  entirely  with 
that." 

"What  is  the  best  kind  of  play  for  college 
students  to  practise  upon  in  their  first  ventures 
upon  the  stage?  " 

"  The  best  plays  are  the  old  English  comedies, 
because  naturally  the  students  in  a  university 
will  be  sufficiently  educated  to  appreciate  the 
fine  writing  of  these  plays — those  of  Sheridan, 
Ben  Jonson,  Shakespeare,  etc.  By  appreciating 
them,  you  can  render  them  better  than  those 
who  cannot  appreciate  them.  If  you  were  to 
begin  to  play,  say  farce  comedy  for  your  own 
amusement  and  the  amusement  of  the  audience, 
that  would  not  be  study,  it  would  be  a  case  of 
clap-trap.  That  I  should  think  would  be  a  very 
dangerous  thing  for  students  to  begin  on.  They 
can  indulge  in  that  after  a  few  years,  when  they 
become  old  and  respectable.  In  their  studies 
they  would  better  confine  themselves  to  those 
plays  that  have  good  literary  merit." 


112     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

"What  is  the  tendency  of  realism  or  idealism 
in  the  actor,  and  to  what  do  these  tend  in  their 
extremes?  " 

"  I  do  not  object  to  realism  in  realistic  plays, 
but  I  object  to  too  much  realism  in  plays  that 
are  upon  a  higher  plane.  When  they  reach  the 
plane  of  poetry  I  think  that  we  must  be  very 
guarded  in  our  realism.  Mr.  Irving  has,  I 
think,  done  very  wisely  in  introducing  much 
realism  into  Shakespeare's  plays.  You  not  only 
get  the  plays,  but  the  characters  as  they  looked 
in  their  day.  If  I  were  going  to  produce  a  nauti- 
cal drama,  I  would  have  real  canvas  for  sails; 
the  tar  should  be  as  sticky  as  possible.  But  in 
a  poetical  play,  I  should  be  very  wary  how  far 
I  went.  To  refer  to  my  own  play,  Rip  Van 
Winkle,  if  you  will  allow  me,  in  the  second  act 
the  whole  manner  of  the  man  is  changed.  In 
the  first  act  he  can  sit  on  the  table  and  swagger 
about,  and  everything  is  as  real  as  you  like. 
From  the  moment  he  meets  with  the  ghosts  in 
the  Catskills,  all  common-place  action  must 
cease.  It  is  then  a  fairy  tale;  you  are  in  the 
realms  of  poetry  and  cannot  treat  the  subject  in 
a  realistic  manner.  If  Rip  woke  up  with  a 
yawn,  it  would  kill  the  effect  of  the  play;  the 
yawn  is  the  result  of  one  night's  slumber;  this  is 
a  twenty-years'  sleep." 


By  courttjy  of  the  American  Art  Assoiiatiou,  New  York 

FEEDING  THE   BABY 

BY   ALBERT   NEUHUVS 
Formerly  in  the  Jeffersim  collei-lion 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  113 

"What  would  you  consider  the  chief  distinc- 
tion between  a  good  amateur  and  a  good  pro- 
fessional actor?" 

"A  good  professional  after  he  has  made  a 
point  would  never  cast  his  eyes  on  the  stage;  an 
amateur  surely  will." 

"  The  desire  is  expressed  that  you  touch  upon 
your  art  in  Rip  Van  Winkle." 

"  It  is  difficult  to  explain,  because  at  times  I 
can  scarcely  thoroughly  understand  it  myself, 
but  when  I  first  played  it,  it  was  full  of  detail 
and  with  much  more  realism  in  it  than  it  has 
now.  I  found  that  both  my  art  improved  and 
the  efifect  of  the  character  increased  when  I 
commenced  to  find  out  what  to  leave  out  and 
what  to  put  in  it.  The  greatest  efifects  are  pro- 
duced when  you  learn  to  curtail  all  the  unim- 
portant details.  A  gentleman  comes  upon  the 
stage  in  one  of  our  modern  plays,  smokes  a  cigar, 
knocks  the  ashes  off,  leans  up  against  the  man- 
tel, rests  his  head  in  his  hand,  etc.  This  is  all 
very  well,  but  is  it  worth  doing?  It  is  not  worth 
doing.  It  is  those  details  that  an  audience  re- 
jects. They  do  not  know  why,  but  it  is  because 
in  a  play  a  lifetime  is  to  be  expressed  in  two  or 
three  hours,  and  there  is  not  time  enough  to  be 
ten  minutes  in  knocking  the  ashes  off  a  cigarette. 
The  best  effects  in  my  own  acting  have  come 


114     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

from  simplicity  in  cutting  out  unimportant  de- 
tails and  leaving  the  character  of  the  incidents 
as  simple  and  clear  and  unconfused  as  possible. 
It  is  a  good  thing  for  an  actor  to  take  the  au- 
dience into  his  confidence — not  to  act  to  them, 
but  for  them.  Let  them  fill  up  the  interval. 
We  should  not  thrust  vulgar  details  upon  them, 
such  as  a  real  dog  in  Rip  Van  Winkle — real- 
ism with  a  tail  to  w^ag  at  the  wrong  time.  One 
will  say,  'Yes,  but  that  is  not  the  kind  of  dog 
that  I  expected  to  see.'  Schneider  Is  the  kind  of 
dog  that  each  likes  best.  If  you  allow  your  au- 
dience to  help  you  with  your  art,  suggest  it  to 
them  so  that  they  shall  fill  it  out  to  the  best  of 
their  ability — and  they  cannot  go  beyond  that, 
even  if  you  give  the  details — and  they  find  them- 
selves partly  playing  your  part.  The  simplicity 
of  the  art — the  less  that  is  done  after  the  salient 
parts  are  expressed,  the  better  the  audience 
enjoy  it." 

Mr.  William  Winter,  who  was  present  upon 
this  occasion,  sent  a  despatch  to  the  New  York 
Tribune  containing  his  criticism  of  the  lecture, 
which  appeared  the  following  morning.  He 
says  in  part: 

"Jefferson,  In  his  discourse  on  acting,  made  it 
evident  that  If  he  were  to  leave  the  stage  he 
would  still  have  at  his  command  the  Influences 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  115 

of  the  Lyceum.  He  spoke  for  more  than  an 
hour,  in  a  fluent  and  sparkling  strain  of  clear 
comment  on  the  art  that  he  represents,  always 
wise  and  often  humorous,  giving  evidence  of 
the  versatility  of  his  mind,  while  affording  con- 
clusive illustration  of  the  importance  of  his  pro- 
fession. 

"The  manner  of  his  discourse  can  be  but 
fairly  noted  in  descriptive  words.  His  instinct 
as  to  effect,  guides  and  sustains  him  equally  as 
a  speaker  and  an  actor. 

"  His  distinction  between  oratory  and  acting 
was  incisively  made,  and  every  auditor  must 
have  appreciated  the  subtle  discrimination  as  to 
the  relative  value  of  tragedy  and  comedy  viewed 
with  regard  to  the  question  of  difficulty.  How 
much  may  be  achieved  by  a  glance  or  an  inflec- 
tion of  the  voice  was  no  less  potently  shown 
than  deftly  urged." 

Loud  cheers  greeted  Mr.  Jefferson  at  Mc- 
Cauley's  Theatre  in  Louisville  one  Sunday  af- 
ternoon when  he  lectured  for  the  newsboys  of 
that  city.  At  the  close  of  the  lecture  one  little 
urchin  was  heard  to  inquire  of  another:  "Who 
was  that  feller  what  talked  to  us,  anyhow?" 

"Why,  don't  you  know?"  was  the  reply. 
"  That's  the  feller  what  went  to  sleep  and  never 
opened  his  peepers  for  twenty  years." 


ii6     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

The  Courier-Journal  of  April  9th,  1900,  gave 
the  following  report  of  the  occasion: 

"  Mr.  Jefferson  never  appeared  as  Rip  Van 
Winkle  or  Bob  Acres  before  a  more  intensely 
enthusiastic  audience  than  that  which  heard  him 
lecture  at  McCauley's  Theatre  yesterday  after- 
noon for  the  benefit  of  the  Newsboys'  Home. 
He  donated  his  time  to  the  home,  but  the  cheers 
and  waving  of  handkerchiefs  which  greeted  him 
when  he  walked  upon  the  stage  were  doubtless 
more  appreciated  by  him  than  a  box  filled  with 
shining  dollars  as  the  result  of  the  production 
of  one  of  his  plays.  Yet  he  was  to  receive  still 
greater  marks  of  enthusiasm. 

"  Mr.  Jefferson  was  in  a  happy  frame  of  mind 
and  he  delighted  the  big  audience  with  numer- 
ous stories  of  his  career  as  an  actor.  They  were 
full  of  humour  and  carried  with  them  the  same 
brilliancy  which  characterises  the  great  come- 
dian in  his  plays.  Notwithstanding  the  differ- 
ence between  such  an  occasion  and  a  perform- 
ance of  Rip  Van  Winkle  or  The  Rivals,  Mr. 
Jefferson  could  not  get  away  from  his  stage 
manner,  and  when  he  stood  before  the  audience 
his  posture  and  manner  were  precisely  those  of 
Rip.  The  only  apparent  difference  was  that 
he  was  not  made  up  as  Rip.  And  yet  the  peo- 
ple would  not  have  had  it  otherwise. 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  117 

"  By  two  o'clock  the  lower  floor  of  the  theatre 
was  filled  and  all  the  front  seats  in  the  balcony 
were  taken.  The  upper  and  lower  boxes  were 
occupied  by  friends  of  the  Newsboys'   Home. 

"  The  Newsboys'  Band,  led  by  Superintendent 
Clarence  Martin,  marched  down  the  centre  aisle 
and  took  the  first  row  of  seats  in  the  parquet. 

"The  May  Music  Festival  chorus  occupied 
the  stage  and  sang  under  the  direction  of  Prof. 
Osbourne  McConathy.  Miss  Flora  Margue- 
rite Bertelle  sang  a  solo  and  was  heartily  ap- 
plauded. Sitting  side  by  side  on  the  stage  were 
Mr.  Jefferson,  Mr.  Henry  Watterson,  the  Rev. 
Dr.  E.  L.  Powell,  and  Dr.  A.  Moses. 

"The  opening  remarks  wTre  made  by  Dr. 
Powell,  who  defended  the  giving  of  the  lecture 
against  those  who  had  taken  exception  to  it  be- 
cause it  fell  on  Sunday.  He  spoke  beautifully 
and  eloquently  with  his  characteristic  clearness 
of  enunciation,  and  was,  a  number  of  times,  ap- 
plauded warmly  for  the  broad.  Christian  view 
he  took  of  the  occasion.     He  said: 

" '  A  good  cause,  good  company,  a  good  day 
— and  having  withal  the  presence  of  genius 
wearing  the  simple  garment  of  loving  service — 
surely  we  should  be  satisfied  and  happy.  The 
cause  appeals  to  every  man  who  has  a  heart; 
the  company  here  assembled  speaks  for  itself; 


ii8     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

the  lecturer  is  loved  for  his  character  and  ad- 
mired for  his  art,  which  in  his  hands  has  never 
brought  the  blush  of  shame  to  the  brow  of  in- 
nocence or  kindled  the  lurid  glow  of  passion  in 
any  human  soul ;  the  day  is  holy  unto  him  only 
who  brings  to  it  the  loving  heart  and  the  helping 
hand. 

If  we  sit  down  at  set  of  sun, 

And  count  the  things  that  we  have  done, 

And   counting   find 
One  self-denying  act,  one  word 
That  eased  the  heart  of  him  who  heard, 

One  glance  most  kind 
That  fell  like  sunshine  where  it  went, 
Then  we  may  count  that  day  well  spent. 

"  *  Are  not  these  lines  as  true  of  Sunday  as 
of  Monday?  The  intellectual  acceptance  of  the 
fact  of  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  on  this  day  does 
not  make  it  holy.  It  is  the  influence  of  this  fact 
on  our  lives  that  determines  the  character  of  the 
day.  If  the  empty  tomb  shall  awaken  within  us 
love,  gratitude,  hope,  and  under  such  inspiration 
bid  us  say  to  buried  souls — buried  beneath  the 
burdens  and  sorrows  of  this  world — "  For  you 
there  is  resurrection  and  a  new  life;  here  is  our 
hand  and  heart  in  helping  you  to  realise  it," 
then  Sunday  for  us  is  baptised  with  the  sacred- 
ness  of  heaven ;  otherwise  there  is  no  fire  on  the 


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<  s 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  119 

altar  and  there  is  no  worshipper  in  the  temple. 
After  all,  in  its  last  analysis,  it  is  our  thoughts 
and  deeds  which  make  any  day  holy  or  secular, 
bright  with  God's  glory  or  black  with  the  void 
from  which  He  has  disappeared.  The  lines  of 
Shelley  are  as  true  of  days  and  seasons  as  of  the 
world  of  nature,  concerning  which  he  sings: 

I  may  not  hope  from  outward  forms  to  win 

The  passion  and  the  life,  whose  fountains  are  within. 

O  Lady!  we  receive  but  what  we  give, 

And  in  our  life  above  does  nature  live; 

Ours  is  her  wedding  garment,  ours  her  shrou'd. 

" '  It  seems  to  me  that  we  are  clothing  this 
day  with  the  wedding  garment  of  beauty  in  the 
thought  and  interest  we  are  seeking  to  express 
toward  those  who  most  surely  need  our  practical 
sympathy  and  affection.  Is  not  this  a  "  divine 
service"  to  which  Mr.  Jefferson  is  contributing, 
and  in  which  all  of  us  are  sharing?  Shall  we 
denominate  certain  religious  functions  "  divine 
service  "  and  consign  the  ministry  of  active  love 
in  its  thousand  forms  to  the  realm  of  the  secular? 
Is  it  religious  to  read  in  the  church,  "  Suffer  the 
little  children  to  come  unto  me  and  forbid  them 
not,"  and  secular  in  another  building  to  reach 
out  a  helping  hand  to  make  that  invitation  good? 
Not  so  have  I  studied  the  Christianity  of  that 


I20     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

Christ  who  says:  "Whoso  receiveth  one  such 
little  one  in  my  name  receiveth  me  " — anywhere, 
everywhere;  any  day,  every  day. 

"'We  are  honouring  to-day,  besides,  the 
memory  of  a  good  man — the  founder  of  the 
Newsboys'  Home.  It  is  his  monument — better 
and  more  glorious  far  than  any  marble  shaft 
which  love  might  rear  above  his  grave.  If  he 
is  with  us  in  spirit  to-day,  I  know  that  we  have 
his  benediction.  But  these  "  opening  remarks  " 
must  no  longer  delay  the  appearance  of  those 
whom  you  are  eager  to  hear.  That  a  great 
actor  should  turn  aside  for  a  moment  to  honour 
the  needy  child  is  to  consecrate  his  genius  to  a 
holy  cause.  "  Literature  to-day,"  it  has  been 
said,  "  is  working  for  the  once  despised  and  un- 
befriended  classes,"  and  "  Books  that  have  no 
enthusiasm  for  humanity  are  speedily  sent  to 
the  garret."  Likewise,  the  noblest  use  to  which 
the  highest  gifts  can  be  dedicated  is  that  of  ser- 
vice to  the  least  and  poorest  child  whom  God 
has  sent  into  this  world  of  mystery  and  glory. 
No  man  is  so  great  that  he  cannot  be  made 
greater  by  simple  kindness  to  the  most  unnoticed 
waif  of  the  street  and  gutter.  The  distinguished 
lecturer,  who  has  already  made  the  world  so 
much  happier  because  he  has  lived  in  it,  is 
weaving  to-day  in  his  garland  of  fame,  the  fair- 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  121 

est  and  sweetest  flower  of  all — that  of  service  to 
the  "  child  in  our  midst."  Loving  the  world, 
loving  little  children — for  him  there  is  stealing 
on  apace 

An  old  age  serene  and  bright, 
And  calm  as  is  a  Lapland  night ! 

"  At  the  conclusion  of  Dr.  Powell's  address, 
Mr.  Henry  Watterson  arose  and  introduced 
Mr.  Jefferson,  his  friend  of  a  lifetime,  as  fol- 
lows: 

"'Next  after  an  audience  such  as  this,  there 
are  two  things  in  life  that  have  always  gotten 
away  with  me;  one  of  them  a  little  boy,  and  the 
other  of  them  a  little  girl.  I  am  inclined  to 
think  that  the  little  boys  have  had  somewhat 
the  better  of  it  in  this  regard;  perhaps — though 
I  say  this  in  confidence,  relying  upon  your  dis- 
cretion— it  has  been  the  girls  of  a  larger  growth 
who  have  brought  up  the  average  and  squared 
the  account.  Be  this  as  it  may,  the  little  boy 
in  a  dilemma,  the  little  boy  in  distress,  touches 
me  with  an  appealing  force  which  I  have  never 
had  any  power  to  resist. 

"  *  I  would  not  be  the  man  I  hope  I  am  if  my 
sympathy  at  all  times  and  under  all  circum- 
stances did  not  go  out  to  the  newsboys.  I  have 
myself  sold  newspapers  in  the  streets.     I  have 


122     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

carried  a  newspaper  route.  I  know  all  about  it. 
The  institution  which  we  have  come  here  at 
once  to  celebrate  and  to  foster  is  presided  over 
by  the  patriarch  and  gentleman  who  for  thirty- 
two  years  has  been  my  honoured  professional 
comrade  and  deeply-loved  personal  friend.  And 
there  appears  with  me  on  this  stage — our  first 
and  only  public  appearance  together — a  still 
older  friend,  also  deeply  loved  and  honoured,  in 
the  person  of  Mr.  Joseph  Jefferson.  When  I 
did  not  know,  respect  and  admire  Mr.  Jefferson, 
the  memory  of  men  still  living  runneth  not  to 
the  contrary;  and  I  am  given  the  inexpressible 
happiness  of  presenting  him  to  you,  not  as  the 
delightful  Acres,  nor  as  the  pathetic  Caleb, 
not  as  the  sprightly  Mr.  Golightly,  nor  as 
even  dear  old  Rip  Van  Winkle,  but  as  plain 
*'Joe  Jefiferson,"  a  name  that  has  a  place  in 
every  heart  and  is  consecrated  in  the  annals  of 
all  that  is  gracious  and  noble  in  the  English- 
speaking  drama. 

"  '  He  wrote  me  the  other  day  that  we  should 
step  out  before  you  "  disguised  as  gentlemen." 
!But  whatever  the  disguise,  he  at  least  will  bring 
you  that  charity  that  covereth  a  multitude  of 
sins,  and  gentle  words  and  pure  thoughts;  for 
we  mean  on  this,  the  day  of  the  Lord,  to  do  what 
we  conscientiously  believe  to  be  the  service  of 


Copyright  by  Sarony 


BOB  ACRES  (SECOND   ACT) 
IN  Sheridan's  comedy  "  the  rivals 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  123 

the  Lord.  Friends  and  neighbours,  I  will  de- 
tain you  no  further.  Allow  me,  and  in  his  own 
proper  person,  to  introduce  Mr.  Joseph  Jeffer- 


son.' 


"  Mr.  Watterson's  closing  sentence  was  a  sig- 
nal to  the  audience,  and  the  big  gathering  rose 
as  one  person  and  cheered  the  '  grand  old  man 
of  the  stage'  as  he  started  from  his  seat.  They 
not  only  cheered,  but  they  clapped  their  hands 
and  waved  their  handkerchiefs  as  he  came 
nearer  to  the  footlights.  Mr.  Jefferson  bowed 
repeatedly  and  the  kindly  expression  on  his  face 
showed  that  he  was  deeply  grateful  for  such  a 
tribute.  But  the  people  were  not  yet  through, 
and  continued  to  applaud  and  wave  their  hats 
and  handkerchiefs  until  the  actor  stopped  and 
looked  wonderingly  at  the  audience. 

"  Mr.  Jefferson  was  dressed  with  character- 
istic plainness  but  elegance,  a  flowing  black 
Prince  Albert  coat,  light  trousers,  a  vest  but- 
toned only  partially  to  the  top,  with  a  loose,  soft 
tie. 

"  After  the  applause  had  died  away,  Mr.  Jef- 
ferson assumed  a  position  which  reminded  one 
of  Rip  Van  Winkle  as  pictured  in  the  story 
books  after  he  had  come  from  one  of  his  hunt- 
ing trips  and  was  entertaining  a  crowd  of  his 
comrades  at  the  inn.    With  one  foot  six  or  eight 


124     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

inches  back  of  the  other  and  with  his  right  hand 
in  his  trousers  pocket,  Mr.  Jefiferson  bowed  to 
the  audience  and  began  to  talk  with  that  easy 
fluency  which  has  delighted  audiences  for  nearly 
half  a  century.  He  said  that  he  was  free  to  con- 
fess that  it  was  a  hard  trial  for  him  to  listen  to 
all  the  nice  things  that  had  been  said  about  him, 
but  that  he  had  managed  to  sit  through  it  all 
without  saying  a  word.  He  said  it  was  the  first 
time  in  his  life  that  he  had  seen  a  clergyman, 
a  journalist,  and  an  actor  speak  from  the  same 
platform. 

" '  I  am  nothing  if  not  an  actor,'  said  Mr. 
Jefiferson,  *  so  I  shall  talk  on  my  profession.  I 
know  something  about  that — not  as  much  as  I 
would  like  to — but  if  I  know  anything  else  I 
am  not  aware  of  it.  When  you  have  seen  me 
before  I  was  doubtless  surrounded  by  a  fine 
stock  company  and  picturesque  scenery.  But  I 
want  to  say  (turning  to  the  chorus)  I  am  being 
supported  by  the  finest  company  this  afternoon 
I  have  ever  seen.' 

"  Mr.  Jefiferson  said  the  word  '  art'  as  applied 
to  acting  meant  to  produce  and  reproduce  a 
play  and  always  make  it  appear  that  it  was  the 
first  time  the  actor  had  ever  played  the  piece. 
He  said  that  an  author  could  rewrite  his  book, 
a  painter  could  repaint  his  picture,  but  the  actor, 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  125 

after  having  produced  a  play  one  night,  could 
not  change  the  impression  which  the  play  had 
made  on  the  audience  who  has  seen  it  on  that 
particular  night. 

"  THE  STAR 

" '  When  I  was  playing  in  a  Western  city,' 
said  Mr.  Jefferson,  'a  man  with  the  most  fero- 
cious pair  of  eye-glasses  I  ever  saw  came  down 
the  middle  aisle  of  the  theatre  and  said  to  me: 
"  Mr.  Jefferson,  I  think  this  starring  system  is 
pernicious." 

" '  I  told  him  that  I  once  thought  the  same 
way,  but  somehow  or  other  a  change  has  come 
over  me.  Said  I,  "When  I  was  a  stock  actor, 
I  looked  upon  a  star  as  a  conspirator,  but  now 
that  I  myself  am  a  star,  I  look  upon  all  stock 
actors  as  conspirators.'" 

"  Before  going  further,  Mr.  Jefferson  drew  a 
check  from  his  pocket,  and  said  it  had  been  sent 
to  him  with  the  request  that  it  be  given  to  the 
Newsboys'  Home.  He  said  it  was  such  a  lib- 
eral contribution  that  he  thought  it  was  no  more 
than  proper  that  he  give  the  donor's  name.  The 
check  was  for  $100,  made  payable  to  Joseph 
Jefferson,  and  was  signed  by  Mr.  J.  B.  Speed. 
Mr.  Jefferson  said  that  the  Newsboys'  Home 
was  a  deserving  institution,  and  that  the  news- 


126    INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

boys  should  feel  that  every  opportunity  was 
within  their  grasp  with  such  loyal  friends  at 
their  side. 

"Continuing,  Mr.  Jefferson  said:  'I  once 
went  by  request  to  Catskill,  N.  Y.,  the  scene  of 
the  story  of  Rip  Van  Winkle,  to  produce  the 
play.  Some  people  in  that  vicinity  believe  that 
the  story  of  Rip  Van  Winkle  is  true.  Before 
the  performance  and  while  I  was  eating  my  sup- 
per at  the  hotel,  I  overheard  the  coloured  waiter 
telling  a  commercial  traveller  sitting  near  by, 
about  Rip.  He  said:  "Yes,  sah;  Rip  slept 
for  twenty  yeahs.  Dat's  so,  sah.  He  slept  so 
long  dat  dere  is  a  hole  in  de  rock  whar  his  head 
rested,  sah." 

"'"How  do  you  know  that  story  is  true?" 
asked  the  drummer. 

"  '  The  waiter  pointed  at  me  and  said :  "  Dat's 
Rip  hisse'f." 

"  '  But  I  couldn't  remember  of  ever  having 
worn  a  hole  in  the  stone. 

" '  After  the  performance  I  was  invited  to  a 
reception  given  in  my  honour  at  the  Rip  Van 
Winkle  Club.  In  introducing  me,  the  presi- 
dent of  the  club  was  greatly  embarrassed  over 
something,  and  said : 

"  *  "  Ladies  and  gentlemen,  I — I — I — wish  to 
' — to  introduce  to  you  Mr. — Mr. — Mr.  Wash- 
ington Irving." ' 


CopyriRhl,  190,1,  by  Burr  Mcintosh 

THE   PAINTER   AND   HIS  WORK 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  127 

"  Mr.  Jefferson  finished  by  thanking  the  au- 
dience and  declaring  his  best  wishes  for  the 
Newsboys'  Home. 

"  The  Music  Festival  chorus  then  sang  a  beau- 
tiful selection  in  engaging  style,  after  which 
Rabbi  Moses  arose  and  thanked  Mr.  Jefferson 
on  behalf  of  the  audience  for  the  great  pleasure 
he  had  given.  He  talked  with  much  feeling 
and  in  a  happy  strain,  as  follows : 

"  RABBI  MOSES'  TALK 

"  '  In  the  name  of  all  the  men  and  women  pres- 
ent, I  beg  to  tender  to  Mr.  Jefferson  our  heart- 
felt thanks  for  his  delightful  talk.  It  was  rich 
in  humour,  truly  Jeffersonian  humour,  abound- 
ing in  interesting  and  instructive  thoughts  and 
shedding  light  on  the  art  of  which  he  is  a  past- 
master.  We  will  mark  this  occasion  in  the  vol- 
ume of  our  memory.  We  have  hitherto  admired 
him  as  an  actor  and  loved  him  as  a  writer;  hence- 
forth we  will  admire  him  as  a  man.  We  have 
taken  up  his  personality  into  our  consciousness 
and  have  become  the  richer  by  it.  I  have  read 
his  Autobiography  with  profit  and  pleasure.  It 
took  hold  of  me  for  a  whole  week  so  that  I 
neglected  to  prepare  my  weekly  sermon.  When 
I  appeared  in  the  pulpit  on  the  following 
Sabbath  I  scattered  Jeffersonian  reminiscences 
about  me  simply  because  my  head  was  just  full 


128     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

of  them.  My  audience  was  delighted,  and  as- 
sured me  that  it  was  the  best  thing  they  had 
heard  in  a  long  time. 

" '  I  believe  that  his  Autobiography  will  form 
a  permanent  part  of  American  literature.  What 
are  cold  letters  compared  to  the  living  man? 
Here  is  the  man  who  has  lived  and  experienced 
all  he  has  recounted  to  us.  What  he  has  said  on 
this  occasion  are  utterances  of  his  inmost  self. 
All  his  struggles  and  triumphs  and  the  experi- 
ences of  his  pilgrim's  progress  seem  to  be  legibly 
written  in  the  lineaments  of  his  face.  May  God 
bless  our  America  with  men  and  artists  like 
Joseph  Jefferson.  May  we  have  actors  who, 
like  him,  dignify  their  art  by  the  dignity  of  their 
character.  May  America  become  rich  in  artists 
who,  like  him,  will  in  their  acting  show  the 
nobility  and  the  truth  of  our  humanity,  and  in 
their  acts  will  be  types  of  noblest  American 
manhood  and  patriotism.' " 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  129 


CHAPTER  VIII 

THE  ACTOR 

I  always  respected  my  art,  and  I  can  do  no  better  per- 
haps than  to  ask  all  men  and  women  on  and  off  the  stage  to 
respect  it  also,  for  it  is  human  nature  aiming  at  the  best. 

Joseph  Jefferson. 

JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  stood  almost  alone 
among  the  dramatic  stars  in  having  been 
able  to  confine  himself  to  one  character 
for  forty  years,  and  never  sufifer  in  the  slight- 
est degree  from  a  lack  of  public  interest.  He 
used  to  say  that  for  many  years  he  had  watched 
himself  closely,  lest  there  should  appear  any 
sign  of  deterioration  in  his  acting.  He  would 
frequently  ask  one  of  his  sons,  Charles  or 
Thomas,  to  watch  him,  from  the  front  of  the 
house,  and  report  to  him  any  falling  off  in 
the  quality  of  his  acting,  or  any  perfunctory 
character  which  he  might  unconsciously  give 
to  it. 

Many  thought  that  it  was  to  this  constant 
watchfulness  that  Mr.  Jefferson  owed  the  dis- 
tinction of  being  an  actor  who,  although  prob- 
ably having  played  one  part  longer  than  any 


I30     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

of  his  contemporaries,  could  draw  more  money 
at  the  end  of  his  career  than  he  did  even  in 
his  palmiest  days. 

It  has  been  said  that  "his  eminence  as  an 
actor  was  the  result  of  long,  close,  and  severe 
labour;  even  in  the  acme  of  his  fame  he  still 
endeavoured  to  excel.  Unlike  the  celebrated 
English  poet,  he  did  not  leap  into  success,  but 
gained  all  his  laurels  by  slow,  unremitting  ef- 
fort. He  once  said  of  himself  that  he  believed 
he  was  indebted  for  his  position  among  actors 
quite  as  much  to  the  hard,  ceaseless  work  and 
constant  application  which  he  had  practised  so 
many  years,  as  to  any  gifts  bestowed  upon  him 
by  nature." 

Mr.  Jefferson  once  wrote:  "The  art  of 
acting  must  be  commenced  at  the  foundation  or 
the  superstructure  can  scarcely  stand;  the 
actor,  to  become  thorough  and  successful,  must 
put  out  of  sight  his  own  individuality  and  be- 
come identified  with  the  character  he  is  attempt- 
ing to  represent." 

This  was  the  standard  adopted  from  the  first 
by  Jefferson  and  to  which  he  strictly  adhered; 
his  dramatic  career  extended  throughout  sev- 
enty-one years. 

Mr.  McKee  Rankin  relates  how  he  first  met 
Mr.  Jefferson  about  forty-nine  years  ago,  when 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  131 

playing    "utility   business"    at    the    Rochester 
Theatre,  under  the  name  of  Hanley. 

Mr.  Jefferson  was  then  starring  in  Our 
American  Cousin  (Laura  Keene  was  starring 
in  this  play  in  Washington  the  night  President 
Lincoln  was  assassinated  at  Ford's  Theatre). 

"  I  have  always  recalled  with  pride,"  said 
Mr.  Rankin,  *' how  Mr.  Jefferson  laid  his  hand 
approvingly  upon  my  shoulder  the  first  time  I 
acted  with  him,  and  said:  'Mr.  Hanley,  you 
have  the  making  of  a  good  actor.  Let  me  give 
you  a  little  advice.  Never  indulge  in  or  pay 
any  attention  to  greenroom  gossip,  and  do  not 
take  the  critics  too  seriously.' 

"With  Mr.  Charles  Walcott,  father  of  the 
present  actor,  I  was  present  at  Mr.  Jefferson's 
first  production  of  Rip,  in  New  York,  in  the 
late  sixties,  and  honestly — Walcott  and  I  wept 
genuine  tears  over  the  performance.  After  this 
engagement,  Mr.  Jefferson  went  on  the  road, 
and  coined  money  everywhere  with  the  play." 

Says  Mr.  Wilton  Lackaye,  who  was  with  Mr. 
Jefferson  one  season,  playing  the  part  of  Sir 
Lucius  O'Trigger  in  The  Rivals: 

"  Mr.  Jefferson  was  a  fine  man  to  be  associ- 
ated with.  He  was  very  simple  in  his  tastes, 
and  frank,  kindly,  and  democratic  in  his  man- 
ner towards  the  members  of  his  company  at  all 


132     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

times.  He  had  very  decided  ideas  in  regard 
to  the  matter  of  elaborate  stage  settings,  al- 
ways maintaining  that  there  is  a  happy  me- 
dium between  the  Elizabethan  custom  of  simply 
placing  a  placard  upon  the  stage  inscribed, 
'This  is  Rome,'  and  the  modern  extravagant 
way  of  staging  even  the  classical  tragedies, — 
the  production  of  which  in  these  days  often  costs 
a  fortune  in  scenery  and  costumes. 

"When  I  was  with  Mr.  Jefferson,  practically 
all  he  carried,  in  the  line  of  stage  properties, 
was  an  antique  sofa  used  in  the  letter  scene  of 
The  Rivals,  where  Bob  is  supposed  to  be  pros- 
trated by  fright,  and  upon  which  he  throws 
himself  at  the  end  of  the  act. 

"  I  remember  one  day  we  were  looking  out  of 
the  window  of  our  special  car,  in  which  we  al- 
ways travelled,  when  the  theatrical  transfer 
wagon  drove  up  to  the  station,  bringing  our 
lonely  sofa  from  the  theatre.  As  the  piece  of 
furniture  was  carelessly  bumped  from  the 
wagon  to  the  station  platform,  Mr.  Jefferson 
remarked,  '  I  am  afraid  we  shall  have  to  have  a 
new  production.'  Not  understanding  what  he 
meant,  I  asked  if  he  intended  engaging  a  new 
company.  He  laughed  and  explained  that  the 
sofa  was  looking  rather  shabby. 

"  It  was  a  fact  that,  with  the  exception  of 


I 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  133 

table  covers,  portieres,  and  a  rug,  that  sofa  con- 
stituted our  entire  production  of  The  Rivals, 
everything  else  necessary  in  the  way  of  scenery 
and  furnishings  being  supplied  by  the  local 
theatres." 

In  speaking  of  Mr.  Jefferson's  success  as  an 
actor  in  England,  Mr.  John  Maguire,  who 
knew  Mr.  Jefiferson  in  Australia  in  the  early 
sixties,  says: 

"  Owing  to  his  disappointment  in  San  Fran- 
cisco, Mr.  Jefferson  concluded  to  sail  to  the  An- 
tipodes, and  that  voyage  surely  was  fateful  to 
him  in  its  results,  for  since  then  the  illustrious 
actor  was  above  and  beyond  any  comparative 
criticism.  Australia  glowed  with  a  young  and 
lusty  intellectuality  regarding  the  drama,  un- 
trammelled by  moss-grown  conditions  of  the 
prejudice  of  a  decayed  senility,  and  gave  imme- 
diate response  to  the  then  young  American, 
Joseph  Jefiferson,  and  in  him  recognised  with  all 
their  enthusiasm  the  beauty  of  his  art  and  those 
talents  that  so  conspicuously  shone  forth  in  the 
performances  of  the  wide  range  of  characters  he 
then  essayed.  His  success  in  London  was  em- 
phasised in  a  greater  degree,  if  that  were  pos- 
sible, than  that  already  achieved  in  Australia. 
It  was  then  that  America  greeted  the  return  of 
the  wanderer,  proud  of  the  victory  of  an  Ameri- 


134     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

can  actor  in  an  American  play  in  foreign  lands. 
This  fame  added  to  the  glory  of  his  country, 
both  at  home  and  abroad;  his  public  and  private 
life  furnished  an  example  dazzling  in  the 
magnitude  of  its  grandeur,  and  he  will  forever 
be  a  theme  of  pride  to  every  one  in  that  profes- 
sion he  so  eminently  adorned." 

Although  Mr.  Jefiferson  had  included  the 
play  of  Rip  Van  Winkle  in  his  repertoire  in 
Australia,  it  was  never  a  success — until  the  re- 
vision of  the  play  by  Boucicault.  The  story  of 
how  the  great  actor  became  inspired  with  the 
dramatic  possibilities  of  Washington  Irving's 
story  is  well  known.  The  old  barn  in  Pennsyl- 
vania is  a  more  or  less  familiar  picture  in  the 
public  mind,  but  the  fact  is  not  so  well  known 
that  the  play  had  been  acted  for  years.  As  early 
as  1829,  at  the  Walnut  Street  Theatre,  in  Phila- 
delphia, is  recorded  the  Kerr  version  of  Rip 
Van  Winkle.  It  was  produced  in  New  York 
for  the  first  time  in  1830  by  the  elder  Hackett. 
An  old  playbill  of  the  Park  Theatre,  in  New 
York,  announces  a  performance  of  Rip  Van 
Winkle  in  1831  as  an  afterpiece,  "altered  by 
Mr.  Hackett  from  a  piece  written  and  produced 
in  London,  and  founded  upon  Washington 
Irving's  well-known  tale  of  the  same  name." 

Other  versions  were  given  by  John  H.  Hew- 


CofiyriKhl  by  Sarony 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON 

AKTHR    HIS    RETURN    TO    AMERICA 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  135 

itt  in  Baltimore,  in  1833,  and  Flynn,  who  ap- 
peared to  be  the  original  performer  of  the  part, 
also  played  at  the  Richmond  Hill  Theatre,  in 
New  York,  in  1833. 

Charles  Burke,  Mr.  Jefferson's  half-brother, 
played  the  part  at  the  New  National  Theatre 
(or  the  New  Chatham)  on  January  7,  1850. 
This  version  held  closely  to  the  lines  of  Irving's 
legend.  When  the  vagabond  returns  from  the 
mountains  after  the  twenty  years'  sleep, 
Gretchen,  his  wife,  is  dead. 

In  speaking  of  the  art  of  his  half-brother, 
Mr.  Jefferson  would  say,  "  He  was  to  acting 
what  Mendelssohn  was  to  music — he  did  not 
have  to  work  for  his  effects  as  I  do — whatever 
he  did  came  naturally.  It  was  not  talent  that 
informed  the  art  of  Charles  Burke — it  was 
genius! " 

Mr.  Jefferson  originally  produced  the  new 
version  of  Rip  Van  Winkle  at  the  Adelphi 
Theatre  in  London.  The  story  of  his  persuad- 
ing Dion  Boucicault  to  rewrite  the  play  is  re- 
lated in  his  Autobiography: 

"The  play  was  finished  in  due  time  and  a  day 
was  set  for  reading  it  to  the  company.  The  time 
arrived  and  I  hurried  to  the  theatre  with  some 
anxiety.  ...  I,  of  course,  had  expected  both 
Boucicault,  the  author,  and  Webster,  the  man- 


136     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

ager,  to  meet  and  assist  me  at  the  reading,  but 
when  I  got  to  the  theatre  I  found  letters  from 
both  saying  that  they  could  not  attend.  .  .  . 
Among  the  actors  present  at  the  reading  was 
Paul  Bedford.  .  .  .  When  I  came  to  the  en- 
trance of  Nick  Vedder  in  the  opening  scene, 

*  Ah,  that's  me,  my  lad,  that's  me! '  said  he.  He 
chuckled  over  the  humour  of  the  play,  and  at 
times  he  wiped  the  tears  from  his  eyes,  as  the 
pathos  of  the  language  moved  him.  '  I  say,  my 
lad,'  said  he,  '  I'm  told  there  is  twenty  years  to 
elapse    between    the    third    and    fourth    acts?' 

*  Yes,'  I  replied.  '  Well,  I  am  not  alive  then, 
am  I?'  'No,  Mr.  Bedford,'  said  I,  'you  are 
cut  off  in  the  flower  of  your  youth.' 

"  Mr.  Billington,  who  was  to  act  in  the  play 
and  who  was  considered  an  authority  in  such 
matters,  said,  '  There's  a  hundred  nights  in  that 
play;  am  I  right,  Paul?'  To  which  Paul  Bed- 
ford replied,  quoting  from  his  old  character  of 
Jack  Gong,  '  I  believe  you,  my  boy,'  and  then, 
taking  me  by  the  hand,  he  said  with  marked 
solemnity,  '  My  transatlantic  kid,  I  welcome 
you  to  the  classic  precincts  of  the  royal  Adel- 
phi.'" 

The  most  important  dramatic  event  of  his 
life  occurred  upon  the  evening  of  September 
the  fifth,  1865,  when  Mr.  Jefferson  made  his 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  137 

first  appearance  before  a  London  audience,  and 
was  received  with  a  most  cordial  welcome.  The 
play  was  entirely  new  to  the  English  public, 
and  it  was  at  once  a  pronounced  success  and  ran 
for  one  hundred  and  seventy  nights.  The  part 
of  Gretchen  was  played  by  Mrs.  John  Billing- 
ton,  who  happily  still  lives  to  tell  the  story  of 
this  event,  and  of  others  of  equal  importance  in 
which  she  had  taken  part. 

In  January  of  last  year  (1908),  London  cele- 
brated the  eighty-fourth  birthday  of  Mrs.  Bil- 
lington,  who  began  her  professional  career  at 
an  unusually  early  age.  Her  recollections  mani- 
festly covered  a  vast  and  highly  interesting 
area.  To  her,  Macready  was  something  more 
than  the  mere  shadow  of  a  name,  while  with 
many  of  the  literary  giants  of  the  early  Vic- 
torian period  she  enjoyed  more  than  a  passing 
acquaintance. 

With  a  view  to  asking  her  to  furnish  some 
particulars  of  the  first  performance  in  England 
of  Rip  Van  Winkle,  a  reporter  of  The  Daily 
TelegrapJi  called  upon  the  old  actress  at  her 
little  house  in  Abbey-road,  and  found  her  not 
unwilling  to  respond  to  his  request. 

"  It  was,"  she  said,  "  at  a  dinner  at  the  Crys- 
tal Palace  that  I  first  heard  of  the  projected  pro- 
duction.   Benjamin  Webster,  Mrs.  Stirling  and 


138     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

myself  were  seated  together,  and  the  former  in- 
vited us  to  say  what  we  thought  of  the  idea.  In 
those  days  an  American  actor  was  regarded  in 
somewhat  the  same  light  as  a  Cherokee  Indian 
or  an  aboriginal  savage  would  be  at  this  mo- 
ment. What  we  thought  of  Webster's  sugges- 
tion was,  I  fear,  only  too  clearly  reflected  in  our 
features.  Nevertheless,  Webster  stuck  to  his 
guns,  and,  naturally,  I  was  curious  to  know 
whether  there  was  anything  for  me  in  the  piece. 
The  answer  was  that  only  two  women  figured 
therein,  and  that  I  was  suited  to  neither  char- 
acter. 'Then  I  shall  go  off  with  Toole,'  I  said. 
But  to  this  step  Dion  Boucicault,  who  had  re- 
written the  play  for  Jefferson,  was  wholly  op- 
posed. He  always  wanted  me  to  appear  in  his 
productions — in  i860  I  created  the  part  of  Mrs. 
Cregan  in  The  Colleen  Bawn,  which  proved 
such  a  phenomenal  success — and  it  was  settled 
that  I  should  be  allotted  the  role  of  Gret- 
chen  in  Rip  Van  Winkle.  Jefiferson  has  him- 
self told  the  story  of  the  bitter  feud  then  exist- 
ing between  Boucicault  and  Benjamin  Webster, 
and  the  enormous  difficulties  he  had  to  over- 
come in  order  to  carry  matters  through  to  a 
prosperous  issue.  So  pronounced  was  their 
enmity  that  when  one  appeared  on  the  stage  the 
other  might  be  counted  on  to  leave  it.  Somehow 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  139 

or  other  Jefferson  contrived  to  keep  the  peace, 
and  to  proceed  with  the  necessary  preparations. 
For  Benjamin  Webster  I  had  the  deepest  ad- 
miration and  kindest  feelings.  He  was  a  fine 
old  fellow;  a  better  actor  never  trod  the  boards. 
But  his  temper  was  quick,  and,  when  ruffled, 
his  flow  of  '  choice  Italian '  was  inexhaustible. 
It  was  his  custom  to  allow  someone  else  to 
rehearse  a  piece  with  the  certainty  that  in 
course  of  time  everything  done  by  his  stage  man- 
ager would  be  elaborately  undone  by  himself. 
Later  he  would  come  down  to  the  theatre  in 
a  peerless  white  waistcoat,  stride  across  the 
stage  with  a  curt  nod  to  the  company,  and  take 
his  seat  in  front  of  the  footlights.  Nevertheless, 
he  knew  his  business  thoroughly,  and  it  would 
be  well  for  the  modern  stage  if  it  could  boast 
more  '  producers '  possessing  the  resource  and 
the  inventive  powers  of  Benjamin  Webster. 

"  Rip  was  an  instant  and  emphatic  success. 
We  had  five  or  six  curtain  calls  after  the  first 
act,  and  thenceforward  everything  went  as  upon 
wheels.  I  said  to  Jefferson:  '  It  will  run  a  hun- 
dred nights,'  and  he  answered  in  his  genial  way, 
*  I'll  wager  you  a  new  silk  dress  to  a  new  silk 
hat  that  it  doesn't.'  There,"  said  Mrs.  Billing- 
ton,  pointing  triumphantly  to  a  framed  photo- 
graph on  the  wall,  "  is  the  portrait  of  myself  in 


I40     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

the  silk  dress  which  he  afterward  presented 
to  me. 

"We  remained  nine  months  at  the  Adelphi, 
and  then  went  on  to  Manchester.  During  our 
stay  in  that  city  Jefiferson  produced  a  new  play 
called  A  Parish  Clerk,  by  Dion  Boucicault. 
It  was  quite  a  delightful  little  drama,  which,  in 
my  opinion — and  also  I  think  in  Jefiferson's — 
failed  chiefly  because  of  the  mistaken  idea  of 
how  the  leading  part  should  be  played.  Long 
afterward  at  Brighton  I  happened  to  mention 
the  piece  to  our  dear  friend  Henry  Irving,  to 
whom,  at  his  own  request,  I  briefly  outlined  the 
plot.  So  immensely  struck  was  he  with  the 
possibilities  contained  in  it  that  he  at  once  took 
steps  to  secure  a  copy  of  the  manuscript.  But 
Jefferson  had  carried  it  with  him  to  America. 
And  to  this  day  nothing  has  ever  been  seen  or 
heard  of  it." 

Speaking  of  the  salaries  paid  to  the  actors  in 
those  days — over  forty  years  ago — Mrs.  Billing- 
ton  continued: 

"  At  that  time  I  was  playing  leading  parts  in 
the  country  with  Phelps.  I  was  offered  one 
pound  a  week  to  understudy  Madame  Celeste 
at  the  Adelphi,  but  as  I  was  getting  £4  in  the 
provinces  I  refused.  Later  I  took  30J.  and  was 
fairly  well  pleased  to  get  such  a  sum,  for  it 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON   AT  THE  ADELPHI   THEATRE,   LONDON,   IN    1865 

MRS.    BILLINGTON    AS   GRETCHEN,    MISS   BUCKSTON    AS    MEENIE 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  141 

meant  a  three-years'  engagement  and  regular 
payment  for  fifty-two  weeks  in  every  twelve 
months.  I  was  at  the  Adelphi  with  Webster 
for  sixteen  weeks,  and  my  weekly  salary  never 
exceeded  £5,  but  I  daresay  there  are  many 
actresses  and  actors  to-day  who  would  gladly 
exchange  their  £25  or  £30  a  week  with  the  pos- 
sibility of  only  earning  that  sum  six  or  eight 
weeks  in  the  year  for  the  certainty  of  £260  per 
annum. 

"  In  those  days  we  did  not  rely  upon  the 
*star*  system.  I  suppose  Jefferson  was  really 
the  first  of  the  kind,  although  possibly  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Wigan  may  be  spoken  of  in  this  connec- 


tion." 


Another  vital  recollection  of  Mrs.  Billino-ton 
was  that  of  the  last  night  of  the  old  Adelphi 
Theatre.  A  supper  was  given  on  the  stage, 
after  the  performance — the  invited  company  in- 
cluding some  of  the  most  brilliant  men  of  the 
day. 

"  I  found  myself  listening  to  the  conversation 
of  such  distinguished  guests  as  Thackeray,  Dick- 
ens, Albert  Smith,  Wilkie  Collins,  John  Leech, 
Oxenford,  and  Mark  Lemon,"  said  Mrs.  Billing- 
ton.  "  Even  now  it  gives  me  a  thrill  of  delight 
to  recall  that  wonderful  scene.  Talking  of  Ox- 
enford, I  am  reminded  of  an  old  custom  which 


142     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

seems  to  have  fallen  into  disuse.  Frequently 
during  rehearsals  conducted  by  Webster,  the 
famous  critic  of  the  Times  would  drop  in,  and 
after  watching  the  proceedings  for  a  little  while 
he  would  give  the  manager  the  benefit  of  his 
advice.  Nowadays  the  most  a  critic  does  is  to 
come  to  a  dress  rehearsal,  or,  to  use  the  latest 
phrase,  '  repetition  generale,'  and  rarely  on  such 
occasions  is  he  tempted  to  express  his  views — 
to  the  manager,  at  any  rate.  I  cannot  say  that 
the  old  plan  had  much  to  recommend  it,  for  if 
the  producer  declined  to  act  upon  the  advice 
proffered  him,  he  might  with  tolerable  certainty 
rely  on  having  the  circumstance  brought  up 
against  him  later.  On  the  other  hand,  it  might 
well  happen  that  a  timely  word  of  warning 
served  to  avert  some  serious  danger  hitherto 
unsuspected  by  the  manager  or  the  author  of 
the  piece." 

In  a  chat  which  was  published  in  the  New 
York  Herald,  Mr.  Jefferson,  in  speaking  of  his 
London  success,  remarked  to  the  reporter: 

"  '  We  actors  like  the  second  round  of  applause 
— to  be  patted  upon  the  back  around  the  supper 
table  in  a  good  company  of  fellow-Bohemians 
after  the  play.  There  was  poor  dear  Artemus 
Ward,  such  a  delightful  fellow,  such  superb 
company.    When  we  came  to  London  I  said  to 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  143 

him:  ''Browne"  (you  know  his  name  was 
Browne),  "beware  of  the  stage  door  and  the 
men  waiting  to  carry  you  off  to  supper  at 
Evans'.  It's  not  so  much  that  they'll  put  you 
under  the  table,  as  under  the  ground."  And 
they  did. 

" '  I  always  had  a  cab  at  the  door  when  I  was 
playing  at  the  Adelphi  and  got  in  and  put  up 
the  window  and  went  home,  no  matter  who  was 
out  after  me.' 

"At  the  Adelphi!  That  brought  back  the 
very  precious  picture  of  Jefiferson  at  thirty-five, 
playing  Rip  Van  Winkle.  When  he  frolicked 
with  the  children  and  danced  with  the  lassies, 
when  he  listened  humbly  to  his  shrewish  wife; 
when  he,  in  a  word,  unfolded  that  exquisite  per- 
sonality to  London  and  charmed  it  utterly. 

"  'And  you  saw  that — then?' 

"JefYerson  smiled  and  drooped  his  head. 

"'And  Paul  Bedford  and  Billington  and 
Mrs.  Billington.' 

"'You're  very  kind  to  recall  all  that.  Old 
Paul  Bedford  was  very  kind  to  me.  They  all 
were  in  fact.  And  James  L.  Toole,  who  was 
the  comedian  of  the  house;  he  was  particularly 
kind.  I  noted  that,  for  I  was  on  his  ground,  as 
it  were.  Every  night  at  the  theatre,  when  I 
came  out  dressed  for  the  part,  old  Paul  Bed- 


144     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

ford's  basso  profundo  always  met  me  with  the 
same  greeting,  and  it  always  amused  me: 

"  ' "  And  how  is  my  young  transatlantic  kid?" ' 

"Jefferson  laughed  at  the  mere  recollection, 
for  at  thirty-five  he  was  wise  with  the  wisdom 
of  twenty-five  years  of  work  on  the  stage.  Trans- 
atlantic surely — but  a  kid! 

"  Then  the  veteran,  with  rare  unction, 
dropped  into  a  delightful  chat  about  actors  and 
acting.  He  told  of  Dion  Boucicault  and  the 
stage  magician  he  was,  and  how  he  had  remade 
the  Rip  play,  which  was  first  made  by  or  for 
Yates,  and  then  was  remade  by  Hackett,  and 
again  refurbished  and  played  by  Burke — Jef- 
ferson's half-brother — and  lastly  fixed  in  crystal 
by  the  wonderful  Dion.  It  was  Jefferson  him- 
self who  conceived  the  weird  second  act  as  it  is 
now  played.  In  _  the  old  version  the  ghosts 
danced  and  sang  a  chorus  ordaining  him  to 
sleep. 

" '  You  know,  it  is  the  only  second  act  of  a 
play  in  which  one  actor  does  the  entire  talking. 
Rip  talks  and  the  others — the  ghosts — only  nod 
their  heads  and  play  bowls.  It's  more  mysteri- 
ous; gives  something  to  the  imagination.  That's 
a  nice  question — how  much  you  must  leave  to 
the  imagination  of  the  audience.  It  is,  of  course, 
mostly  the  playwright's  business,  but  if  it  is 


Copyright  by  Sarony 


CALEB   PLUMMER 

IN    •*  THE   CRICKET   ON   THE    HEARTH 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  145 

badly  done  the  actor  suffers  for  it.  Just  before 
Rip  was  brought  out  at  the  Adelphi  I  went 
with  Boucicault  to  that  theatre  one  night  to  see 
Ben  Webster,  who  was  a  very  good  actor.  He 
was  playing  the  part  of  a  miser,  and  in  the  third 
act  he  opened  a  safe  in  the  wall  of  his  house, 
took  out  some  papers,  examined  them  and  put 
them  back.  There  was  a  very  strained  moment 
of  hushed  attention  through  the  house,  but  pres- 
ently a  small  voice  rang  clear  from  the  gallery: 
"Wot'sin'em,  Guv'nor?" 

"'The  house  laughed,  you  may  depend  upon 
it,  and  Webster  was  very  angry,  but  Boucicault 
said  it  was  bad  art  on  the  part  of  the  author  to 
leave  that  small  boy  in  the  gallery  in  doubt  as 
to  the  contents  of  the  papers.  Boucicault  be- 
lieved in  quick  action  on  the  stage.  I  remem- 
ber once  he  was  reading  a  play,  and  he  said, 
"  This  is  altogether  too  slow;  here  are  two  char- 
acters left  together  for  two  inches."'" 

London  has  not  forgotten  Joseph  Jefferson. 
The  suggestion  of  a  memorial  benefit  in  his 
honour  was  recently  discussed.  The  London 
Daily  Telegram,  in  speaking  of  this,  says:  "  Let 
not  the  fact  be  disguised  that  the  metropolis,  so 
far  as  two  generations  are  concerned,  is  ignorant 
of  the  stage  and  the  great  actor  who  made  his 
coup  more  than  forty  years  ago.     As  Jefferson 


146     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

was  a  man  of  varied  powers,  it  is  a  pity  that  he 
was  allowed  to  be  a  'one-part'  actor  on  this 
side.  Nobody  would  suppose  he  would  draw 
money  in  the  two  short  farces  put  on  for  him, 
some  thirty  years  since,  at  the  Haymarket. 
Dion  Boucicault  wrote  him  a  play  which  Man- 
chester was  alone  privileged  to  see.  As  Jefifer- 
son  came  of  English  stock,  a  memorial  perform- 
ance would  create  much  interest  of  an  academic 
kind.  But  the  movement  is  made  somewhat 
late  in  the  day." 

Mr.  Jefferson's  own  opinion  of  an  EnglisK 
audience  was  that  it  was  as  loyal  to  an  old  fa- 
vourite  as  the  nation  was  to  its  Queen. 

Mr.  Henry  Watterson,  writing  from  Berlin, 
said: 

"  The  English  newspapers  accompany  the 
news  of  Mr.  Jefferson's  death  with  but  sparing 
estimates  of  his  eminence  and  his  genius,  though 
his  success  in  London,  where  he  was  well 
known,  had  been  unequivocal.  Indeed,  him- 
self, along  with  Edwin  Booth  and  Mary  An- 
derson, may  be  said  to  complete  the  list  of  those 
Americans  who  have  attained  any  real  recogni- 
tion in  the  British  metropolis.  The  Times 
speaks  of  him  as  '  an  able,  if  not  a  great,  actor.' 
If  Joseph  Jefferson  was  not  a  '  great  actor,'  I 
should    like    some    competent    person    to    tell 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  147 

me  what  actor  of  our  time  could  be  so  de- 
scribed. 

"  Two  or  three  of  the  journals  of  Paris  refer 
to  him  as  '  the  American  Coquelin.'  It  were 
better  to  say  that  Coquelin  is  the  French  Jeffer- 
son. I  never  saw  Frederic  Lemaitre.  But,  him 
apart,  I  have  seen  all  the  eccentric  comedians, 
the  character  actors,  of  the  last  fifty  years,  and, 
in  spell-power,  in  precision  and  deftness  of 
touch,  in  acute,  penetrating,  all-embracing  and 
all-embodying  intelligence  and  grasp,  I  should 
place  Joseph  Jefferson  easily  at  their  head." 

Mr.  Jefferson  used  to  say  that  it  was  the  fault 
of  the  American  public  that  he  did  not  retire 
from  the  stage.  As  long  as  they  honoured  him 
by  such  large  audiences,  they  showed  him  that 
they  still  wanted  him.  He  never  played  a  fare- 
well engagement.  Upon  several  occasions  the 
managers  of  the  different  theatres  in  which  he 
acted  announced  it  as  his  last  appearance  in 
their  advance  newspaper  notices,  but  Mr.  Jef- 
ferson highly  disapproved  of  this  and  had  it 
stopped. 

He  exposed  it  publicly  and  informed  his  son 
of  the  fact  by  a  letter: 

Rochester,  Dec.  6th,  '94. 
My  Dear  Charlie: 

You  will  see  by  reading  the  enclosed  slips  that  I  ex- 


148     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

posed  to  the  audience  the  trick  of  the  manager  in  


who  took  the  liberty  of  announcing  my  farewell  engage- 
ment (the  cars  are  in  motion,  so  that  you  will  find  it  hard 
to  read  my  writing).  'The  Brownies,'  I  see,  are  an- 
nounced In  Buffalo.  If  you  don't  stop  the  Pirates  they 
will  do  you  up  all  over  the  country. 

See  that  Mr.  McKee  and  Miss  Bijou  Fernandez  get 
the  enclosed  letters;  one  contains  a  check  for  $50  for  the 
Russell  Fund,  the  other  one  for  $25  for  the  children's 
Christmas  Festival. 

Or  house  last  night  $1,670.  Telegrams  to  Tom 
(of)    advance    (sales) : 

1st  day's  sale  in  Detroit $1,100. 

1st   day's   sale  in   Columbus 1,250. 

Our  reception  along  the  road  is  quite  an  ovation. 

Your  loving  father, 

J.  Jefferson. 

Joseph  Jefferson's  first  performance  of  Rip, 
as  stated,  took  place  at  the  Adelphi  Theatre, 
London,  September  5,  1865.  His  last  perform- 
ance of  the  part  was  given  at  a  matinee  in  Pat- 
erson,  N.  J.,  May  2,  1904. 

His  last  appearance  upon  any  stage  was  made 
Saturday  evening  of  the  same  date  when  he  ap- 
peared in  the  characters  of  Caleb  Plummer  in 
the  dramatisation  of  Dickens'  story  The  Cricket 
on  the  Hearth,  and  as  Mr.  Golightly  in  the 
farce  Lend  Me  Five  Shillings. 

At  this  last  performance,  after  the  second 
act  of  The   Cricket,    in   compliance   with   the 


Saturday  Matinee- 

JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  IN 

CAST. 

Act  1. 

Rip  Van  Winkle Joseph  Jefferson 

Derricit  Von  Beekman John  Jack 

Cockles,  his  nephew W.  W.  Jefferson 

Nick  Vedder Percy  Phiiikett 

Jacob  Stine Charles  Duvai 

Clausen I>.  Jones 

Little  Heindrich Ipha  Yen  air 

Lititle  Meenie Dollv  Oweise 

Gretch en Ff olliot t  Paget 

Act  II. 

Rip  Van  Winkle  Joseph  Jefferson 

Gretchen FfoUiott  Paget 

Little  Heindrich Ipha  Yenair 

Little  Meenie Dolly  Oweise 

Act  III. 

Rip  Van  Winkle Joseph  Jefferson 

Dwarf Dudley  McCann 

Heindrich  Hudson Robert  Brown 

Acts  IV  and  V. 

Rip  Van  Winkle Joseph  Jefferson 

Derrick  Von  Beekman John  Jack 

Cockles,  his  nephew W.  W.  Jefferson 

Heindrich  Vedder,  Nick  Vedder's  Son Joseph  Jefferson,  Jr 

Seth Harry  Odlin 

Gretchen Ffoliott  Paget 

Meenie Blanche  Bender 

Katchen Meta  Greene 


SYNOPSIS. 
Act  I— Village  of  P'alling  Water. 
Act  II — Rip's  Home. 
Act  III — Catskill  Mountains. 

Act  IV— Village  of  Falling  Water.    (An  elapse  of  20  years) 
Act  V — Derrick  Von  Beekman's  Home. 

Intermission  of  two  minutes  between  Acts  IV  and  V. 


MUSICAL  PROGRAM. 

Overture— "Rip  Van  Winkle'.' 

Medley— "Old  Folks  at  Home'.' 

Spring  Song Mendelssohn 

Paraphrase — 'Lorely'.' Nesvabda 


LAST  APl'EARAN'CE  OF  JOSEPH  JEFFERSON 
AS  RIP  VAN   WINKLE 

PATERSON,   NEW   JERSEY,    SATURDAY   MATINEE,    .MAY    2,     I9O4 


Saturday  Evening 

JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  IN 

A  COMEDY  IN  THREE  ACTS. 

CAST. 

Cableb  Piummer.  the  toy  mak&r Joseph  JeflFerson 

Tackleton.  the  merchant... Percy  Plunkett 

John  Perr%'bingle   the  carrier -Jefferson  Winter 

Edward  Piummer,  the  stranger W.  W.  Jefferson 

Dot Blanche  Bender 

Bertha Frances  Pemberton 

Tilly , ...AdaGiUman 

May  Fielding Jessie  Sweet 

Mrs.  Fielding Mattie  Gee 

IiBI^aB  ME  FI¥B  SMII^MHe®. 

A  FARCE  I.V  ONE  ACT. 


CAST. 

Mr.  Golightly Joseph  Jefferson 

Captain  Phobbs John  Jack 

Mooieland Joseph  Jefferson,  Jr 

Captain  Spruce Guy  Coombs 

Sam William  Jefferson 

Mrs.  Major  Phobbs Ffolliott  Paget 

Mrs.  Captain  Phobbs Frances  Pemberton 

MUSICAL  PROGRAM, 

Prelude — "Polonaise  Militaire'.' Chopin 

Overture — "Stradella"! F)otow 

Waltz— "Prince  of  Pilsen'' Luders 

Operatic  Selection — "Babette". Victor  Herbert 

Exit  March — "Billet  Doux" Neilsen 


LAST   APPEARANCE  OF  JOSEPH  JEFFERSON 

PATERSON,    NEW   JERSEY,    SATURDAY   EVENING,    MAY    2,     1904 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  149 

enthusiasm  of  the  audience,  Mr.  Jefferson  re- 
sponded to  their  numerous  curtain  calls  and 
finally  made  a  speech.  Removing  the  torn  and 
brimless  hat  worn  in  the  part  of  Caleb  Plum- 
mer,  he  shuffled,  in  his  tattered  shoes,  to  the 
centre  of  the  stage,  and  in  his  quaint,  old-fash- 
ioned way  thanked  the  audience  for  the  honour 
bestowed.    It  was  the  actor's  last  speech. 

Mr.  Jefferson  had  been  invited  to  a  supper 
at  the  Hamilton  Club,  given  after  the  perform- 
ance by  Mr.  R.  H.  Sterrett.  This  invitation  he 
was  obliged  to  decline,  wishing  to  return  to 
New  York  on  the  1 1  :oi  train.  On  this  account 
the  waits  between  the  acts  were  shortened,  and 
before  the  curtain  fairly  touched  the  stage  the 
actor  had  removed  his  white  tie  and,  jumping 
from  his  position  in  the  centre  of  the  stage,  he 
hurried  to  the  dressing-room,  at  the  same  time 
taking  off  the  curly  blond  wig  worn  in  the  part 
of  Golightly  in  the  farce. 

He  brushed  his  hair,  which  was  still  dark, 
bringing  it  forward  above  his  ears,  as  was  his 
custom,  while  Carl,  his  valet,  at  the  same  time 
replaced  his  evening  coat  for  the  one  ordinarily 
worn  when  travelling;  and  in  a  shorter  space  of 
time  than  would  be  deemed  possible  to  the  un- 
initiated, the  actor  was  in  a  carriage  and  on  his 
way  to  the  railroad  station,  arriving  there  just 


I50    INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

in  time  to  see  the  red  light  on  the  rear  platform 
of  his  train  disappear  around  a  curve  on  its  way 
to  New  York. 

It  always  amused  Joseph  Jefferson  to  see  a 
belated  passenger  miss  a  train.  On  his  travels 
about  the  country  he  would  often  sit  at  the  win- 
dow of  his  private  car  and  sympathise  aloud 
with  the  would-be  traveller. 

"Too  bad!  Dear!  dear!  If  you'd  only  been  a 
moment  sooner!  I'm  so  sorry!  I  know  just  how 
you  feel!"  and  he  would  shake  with  laughter. 
Therefore,  it  was  not  strange  that  upon  his  un- 
expected appearance  at  the  Hamilton  Club, 
where  his  son  and  daughter-in-law,  with  Mr. 
Sterrett,  were  about  to  partake  of  partridge  and 
cooling  beverages,  he  should  be  greeted  with  a 
laugh — in  which  he  himself  joined  good-na- 
turedly, saying: 

"  It's  all  right.  I'll  admit  it's  on  me  this 
time." 

At  the  request  of  Mr.  Sterrett  he  wrote  out 
the  order  for  his  supper,  apologising  for  his 
dissipation,  saying  that  it  was  the  only  one  he 
ever  allowed  himself  at  that  time  of  night.  The 
order,  which  he  passed  to  the  waiter,  read: 

"  One  bowl  of  oatmeal, 

"  One  glass  of  milk." 

The  actor  was   conducted  on   a   short   tour 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  151 

through  the  beautiful  rooms  of  the  club  house, 
greeted  by  "  Glad  to  meet  you  "  from  every  one, 
and  was  soon  on  his  way  to  New  York.  In 
memory  of  the  occasion  the  club  has  hung  in  its 
library  an  autographic  picture  of  the  great 
actor,  of  which  the  members  are  very  proud, 
especially  as  it  was  one  of  the  last  he  ever  signed. 

Mr.  Jefferson's  only  farewell  to  his  beloved 
public  was  made  to  them  through  the  pages  of 
the  New  York  Herald  while  on  his  way  South, 
where  he  hoped  to  regain  his  health.  Seated 
in  his  easy  chair  at  the  hotel,  he  evoked  mem- 
ories of  the  past  and  talked  of  his  successes  and 
his  work  for  dramatic  art,  and  then  he  sent  a 
last  tender  message  to  the  world  he  loved  and 
which  loved  him:* 

"'Don't  leave  me,  boys!' 

"The  ghosts  of  Hendrik  Hudson's  crew  are 
gliding  dimly  away  in  the  moonlight  from  the 
high  peak  of  the  Kaatskills,  leaving  Rip  Van 
Winkle  to  his  long  sleep,  and  the  plaintive  ap- 
peal, so  human  in  its  homely  turn  of  tone  and 
phrase,  goes  to  the  heart  as  the  curtain  winds 
down. 

"  In  somewhat  that  way  we  all  think  of  Joseph 
Jefferson  when  we  hear  that  the  last  curtain  has 
fallen  on  his  stage  career  and  he  has  '  retired.' 

*  Copyright  by   New    York   Herald. 


152     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

*' '  Don't  leave  me,  boys ! ' 

"  He  will  wake  up,  we  know  (in  ten  minutes, 
say),  and  we  will  all  make  believe  that  his  sleep 
has  lasted  twenty  years,  and  then  we,  who  de- 
lighted in  him  as  the  tender-hearted  good-for- 
nothing  of  the  village  of  Falling  Waters,  will 
take  on  a  new  affection  for  the  pathetic  figure 
in  white  beard  and  marvellous  rags  who  is  soon 
to  ask,  till  he  makes  our  eyes  smart  for  tears: 

"  'Are  we  so  soon  forgot  when  we  are  gone?' 

"  Of  course,  he  only  thinks  he  is  forgotten,  for 
presently  little  Meenie  recognises  him  for  her 
father  and  his  long-tried  wife  gives  him  occa- 
sion to  rouse  his  old  spirit  of  fun.  His  ancient 
enemy  is  given  a  retributive  '  glass  of  water  and 
a  cold  potato,'  and  all  is  family  joy. 

"  Stripped  of  the  haunting  stage  illusion,  the 
fact  is  different.  The  'boys'  are  not  leaving 
him,  but  he  is  leaving  the  '  boys.' 

"  He  is  sitting  in  his  easy  chair  and  greets  one 
warmly.  It  is  the  same  bright-eyed,  clear- 
voiced  Joseph  Jefferson,  for  all  his  threescore 
and  fifteen  years.  Thin  and  a  trifle  weak,  as  a 
man  may  be  who  has  had  a  tussle  with  a  trying 
malady,  and  who  is  pulling  himself  together, 
he  sits  up  bravely. 

"  ItisnotShakespeareorlbsenoreven  George 
Bernard  Shaw  that  he  has  been  reading.    Alas 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  153 

for  the  high  proprieties  of  a  retiring  veteran  of 
the  stage,  it  is  a  catalogue  of  fishing  tackle  that 
he  has  laid  gently  (almost  furtively)  aside  to 
shake  hands. 

"  There  are  fishing  rods  and  fishing  rods  about 
the  room,  and  other  signs  of  an  approaching 
communion  with  nature  on  its  mildly  sportive 
side.  I  should  not  be  surprised  if  what  looked 
like  a  bundle  of  stage  spears  were  really  hoe 
handles  and  pruning  implements. 

"  It  was  not  plain  whether  he  was  proud  of  all 
this  obvious  preparation  for  the  open  air  and 
sunshine  of  the  South  and  Southern  waters.  His 
artist  sense  must  have  told  him  that  it  would 
have  been  far  more  appropriate  to  be  found  lay- 
ing away  the  wig  of  old  Rip  or  fondling  the  big 
pistol  of  Bob  Acres,  but  there  he  was  like  a 
schoolboy  getting  ready  to  go  fishing — and 
there  was  no  help  for  it. 

"  PLAY  OF  THE  MASTER'S  FACE 

"  Master  of  smiles  and  tears,  long  had  he 
angled  for  the  hearts  of  the  people  and  great 
had  been  his  taking,  and  we  were  to  chat  over 
it  all  with  the  westering  sun  lighting  up  the 
keen  lines  of  his  kindly  face,  the  quick  expres- 
sion coming  and  going,  the  eyebrows  lifting  and 
the  corners  of  the  mouth  twitching  with  comic 


154     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

intent.  Anon  the  fine  lip  lines  were  to  grow 
tense  and  the  eyes  show  forth  the  sincerity  of  a 
serious  soul.  It  was  all  very  sweet  and  satisfy- 
ing. 

"  '■  I'm  going  South,  you  know.  I'll  start  for 
Washington  next  week,  and  then  go  down  to 
St.  Augustine.  I'll  have  plenty  to  do.  I'm  feel- 
ing stronger  every  day.  I  go  out  and  walk,  and 
I  take  a  drive.  Oh,  I  was  very  weak,  but  that's 
all  over. 

"'  I'll  do  a  lot  of  gardening  in  Florida.  I 
know  something  about  it,  too,  I  can  tell  you'; 
this  with  an  irresistible  twinkle.  '  Do  you 
know,  I  raise  all  our  fruits  and  vegetables.  And 
then,'  looking  with  the  same  shy  look  as  at  first 
toward  his  fishing  tackle,  '  I  am  a  fair  fisher- 
man. And  I  have  a  paint  box — and  brushes 
.    .    .    now  that  I'm  not  going  to  act  any  more.' 

"  So  Jefferson  sketched  out  the  sunny  side  of 
life  that  will  occupy  him  when  he  is  out  of  his 
easy  chair  in  Florida. 

" '  You  will  not  lose  your  interest  in  the  stage, 
though?' 

"'Oh,  no,  no,  no!  I  was  born  with  it,  have 
breathed  it,  lived  it,  loved  it  and  must  keep  on 
loving  it  when  I  can  no  longer  live  it.  My  in- 
terest in  the  stage,  in  the  drama,  is  a  passion.  I 
have  always  been  a  reader  of  all  pertaining  to 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON 

AS   RIP   VAN   WINKLE,    (fIRST   ACt) 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  155 

the   theatre — as   well    as    other   things — and    I 
shall  not  let  that  habit  lapse. 

"  *  I  have  not  gone  much  to  the  theatre  of  late, 
except  as  a  player.  I  cannot  hear  very  well, 
and  it  is  a  torture  when  you  can  see  but  can't 
hear  what  they're  saying.  I  don't  suppose  I 
shall  go  much  to  the  play. 

"'Yes,  it's  a  privation,  but  we  learn  to  live 
without  things  and  to  find  compensation — an 
actor  learns  that  lesson  early.  Actors  have  many 
things  nowadays  that  would  have  been  unimag- 
inable luxuries  fifty  years  ago.  Still  they  are 
not  always  happy.' 

"Jefferson's  eyes  twinkled  as  he  patted  the 
arms  of  his  chair. 

" '  It  always  amuses  me  when  some  actor,  be- 
side whom  perhaps  I  have  slept  on  the  hay  in 
a  barn  in  the  long  ago,  breaks  out  into  com- 
plaints about  his  Pullman  sleeping  coach  and 
the  shortcomings  of  the  coloured  porter  in  the 
matter  of  the  polish  on  his  patent  leathers. 

" '  I  think,  on  the  whole,  we  were  lighter 
hearted  then.  Responsibilities  did  not  dog  our 
heels — if  the  farmer's  mongrels  sometimes  did 
assail  us.' 

'"actor's  work  in  the  old  days 

"  '  If  you  please,  we  went  from  town  to  town 
in  carts  sitting  on  our  trunks — when  we  could 


156     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

get  them  safely  away  from  heartless  landlords. 
Yes,  sometimes  we  carried  scenery  in  the  same 
way — provided  the  local  managers  and  the  au- 
thorities allowed  us  to  take  it  away.  Why,  we 
often  walked  from  one  town  to  another — and 
not  for  exercise,  I  assure  you.' 

"  Fun  ?  Jefferson  was  manifestly  enjoying  him- 
self. How  we  always  live  in  our  youth,  for,  lo, 
this  quarter  century  past  has  not  Jefferson  been 
a  lord  of  ease,  of  parlour  cars,  of  'palatial' 
hotels,  of  country  houses,  of  estates  and  of  obese 
bank  accounts  that  mocked  at  'bad  seasons' — 
although  good  friend  and  comrade  all  the  time? 

"  '  Shall  you  write  memoirs  or  anything  of  that 
kind,  Mr.  Jefferson?' 

"'No,  I  don't  think  so,'  he  replied.  'You 
know  I  wrote  my  autobiography.  I  have  no 
intention  of  adding  to  it.  I  am  not  a  very  good 
writer,  but  people  read  it  probably  because  they 
take  some  interest  in  what  I've  been  doing. 

" '  Of  the  stage  as  I  leave  it,  and  the  stage  as 
I  found  it — the  difference?'  Now  the  old 
actor  was  very  serious.  '  A  mighty  develop- 
ment, a  wonderful  diffusion.  I  do  not  say  that 
the  individual  acting  is  better,  or  perhaps  as 
good;  but  productions  are  so  much  grander; 
effects  are  so  much  finer  and  so  much  more  cer- 
tain.   All  stage  machinery,  lighting,  accessories, 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  157 

are  so  much  improved.  Perhaps  these  things 
have,  in  a  way,  lessened  the  demand  upon  the 
actor.  The  actor,  perforce,  loomed  larger  in  the 
past.  It  was  the  necessity  of  the  case.  We  can, 
however,  surely  say  that  the  advance  of  the 
actor  has  not  been  as  great  as  the  advance  of  his 
physical  surroundings.  The  great  names  of  the 
past  seem  a  little  lonely.' 

"'And  the  drama  itself?' 

"  '  A  man  said  to  me,  "  Why  can't  we  have  an- 
other Shakespeare,  another  Sheridan?"  and  I 
said  to  him,  "Nature  is  economical.  She  gives 
us  a  Shakespeare  and  we  have  him,  and  then  she 
breaks  the  mould;  there  is  no  necessity  for  a 
second."  We  don't  need  a  new  Shakespeare, 
but  we  shall  have  other  brands  and  stamps  of 
genius  to  fit  the  times.  I  am  frankly  optimistic 
on  this  point. 

" '  Don't  let  us  look  back  always  with  the  same 
old  regret.  For  the  young  world  the  new 
fashion.  You  know  the  "  palmy  days "  will  al- 
ways be  just  about  forty  years  back  to  the  end 
of  time.' 

"BOUNDLESS  DRAMATIC  FUTURE 

"'Think  of  fitting  this  country  with  one  type 
of  drama!  Impossible!  It  will  develop  many 
modifications  and  types  of  its  own,  and  has  a 


158     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

great  dramatic  future.  Just  think  of  it — all  our 
American  millions  speaking  one  language,  no 
boundary  lines,  no  custom-houses  between  its 
sections.  It  is  peopled  by  the  nations  of  the 
earth.  It  has  all  dialects,  all  temperaments,  all 
temperatures,  all  possible  climaxes  suggested 
and  all  possible  climates  enjoyed,  and  above  it 
all  the  grand  diapason  of  our  national  life  call- 
ing for  its  great  exponents.' 

"  The  veteran's  enthusiasm  was  aroused  by  his 
own  picture. 

" '  Don't  fear  for  our  future,  either  in  plays 
or  in  players,  but  don't  expect  the  great  in  either 
to  be  repeated  in  the  same  way  as  of  old.  I 
look  for  much,  but  not  immediately,  of  the 
highest  quality  along  the  line  of  the  older  stand- 
ards. 

"  *  It  Is  a  chromo-lithographic  age.  A  man 
has  to  learn  so  much  to  be  fairly  abreast  of  his 
time  that  he  would  be  as  old  as  Methusaleh  be- 
fore he  would  have  time  to  think  of  being  a 
Shakespeare.  After  he  has  read  all  the  English 
and  foreign  classics  and  kept  up  with  the  re- 
views and  magazines  and  tried  to  get  hold  of  the 
names  in  the  Russo-Japanese  war,  what  time 
would  he  have  to  be  a  Sheridan?  Then  every- 
body writes,  and  that  means  diffusion.  Quality 
must  suffer  in  the  face  of  such  a  quantity.    It  is 


Copyright  by  Sarony 


"FIGHTING"    BOB    (THIRD   ACT) 

40  YARDS IF  YOU  LOVE  ME  ! NO  ?    WELL  THEN 39  ? 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  159 

chromo-lithographic  and  not  divinely  pic- 
torial.' 

" '  Is  the  tendency,  however,  tov^ard  refine- 
ment?' 

"  *  Yes,  on  the  w^hole.  Our  stage  is  decent.  I 
am  no  milksop  of  the  drama.  I  do  not  object 
to  problem  plays  if  the  problem  is  vital  and  the 
expression  of  it  not  offensive  to  decent  ears.  I 
hold  of  the  play  as  I  do  of  the  player,  that  it 
should  be  always  above  its  audience — a  little 
above  it,  not  too  high,  for  then  the  audience 
can  only  see  into  the  ''  flies,"  if  I  may  use  a  stage 
phrase  for  extreme  and  fruitless  looking  up.  In 
the  same  way  the  actor  has  a  stern  responsibility 
to  his  hearers.  He  is  under  bonds  to  respect 
them  and  their  wives  and  children  as  he  would 
have  his  own  respected.  He  must  not  inflict 
coarseness  upon  those  "in  front"  any  more  than 
he  would  tolerate  it  in  his  own  parlour. 

"when  women  wore  masks  to  plays 

"'What  a  dreadful  thing  it  must  have  been 
in  the  time  of  Charles  II.  to  see  the  great  ladies 
of  the  court  going  to  the  theatres  masked!  Not, 
I  am  sorry  to  say,  that  they  were  ashamed  to 
look  on  and  listen  to  the  indecent  plays  of  the 
day,  but  that  they  were  ashamed  to  be  recog- 
nised while  enjoying  them.     I  am  glad  no  such 


i6o    INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

stricture  can  be  passed  on  the  theatre — the 
American  theatre — in  our  time.' 

" '  You  do  not  believe,  then,  that  the  drama  is 
"declining"?' 

"'We  must  not  belittle  the  present  day  be- 
cause it  is  not  the  Homeric  age.  Just  look  at 
the  work  of  Gilbert  and  Sullivan  and  how  they 
recreated  comic  opera,  giving  us  beautiful  music 
wedded  to  a  vein  of  satire  of  the  highest  excel- 
lence. I  hear  now  of  a  young  man,  George 
Ade,  who  is  said  to  be  doing  very  good  things 
with  the  true  ring  in  them. 

" '  I  have  no  doubt  when  Thespis,  the  first 
actor,  was  going  around  with  his  cart  that  they 
were  talking  even  then  of  the  decline  of  the 
drama — whenever  he  drove  for  a  time  down 
hill.  There  are  ups  and  downs,  years  of  "  lean 
kine"  and  of  "fat  kine,"  but  the  great  art 
goes  on,  larger  than  any  who  are  interpret- 
ing it. 

"'When  the  Beggars'  Opera,  in  which  every 
man  is  a  thief  and  every  woman  a  wanton,  was 
drawing  audiences  of  kings  while  the  tragedy 
houses  were  empty,  great  was  the  outcry  of  the 
legitimate  actors.  Colley  Gibber  saw  the 
death  of  the  nobler  drama  in  the  vogue  of  the 
French  dancing  girls;  but  Garrick  arose,  and 
after  him  came  the  Kembles  and  Mrs.  Siddons, 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  i6i 

and  after  them  rose  Edmund  Kean,  and  after 
him  Macready  and  Phelps  and  Charles  Kean. 

"^Look  at  our  own  time.  Edwin  Forrest  is 
almost  of  our  time,  and  surely  Edwin  Booth 
was,  and  so  on.' 

"'You  pick  out  the  great  names,  Mr.  Jeffer- 
son.' 

'''Well,'  he  laughed  with  the  dry  chuckle, 
'we  remember  the  picnics  and  forget  the  tooth- 
aches. Art  is  very  long  and  memory  short.  You 
remember  what  Mrs.  Siddons  said  of  Juliet, 
"No  woman  could  act  it  until  she  was  too  old  to 
look  it."     Don't  be  too  exacting.' 

"'It  needs  a  pretty  strong  constitution,  then, 
to  survive  to  be  a  great  actor  or  actress.' 

"Mr.  Jefferson  smiled,  twinkled,  sighed,  and 
was  silent.     He  must  be  tempted  again. 

" '  You  have  been  pretty  vigorous,  Mr.  Jeffer- 
son?' 

" '  On  the  contrary,'  he  said,  with  sudden  ani- 
mation, '  I  have  always  been  delicate,'  and 
then  he  went  on  to  tell  how  delicate  he  had  been 
— for  sixty-odd  years  of  constant  stage  work, 
rain  or  shine,  cold  or  hot.  It  is  one  of  the  de- 
lights of  men  and  women  of  inexhaustible  health 
to  tell  how  poorly  they  have  been  all  the  time. 

"'Yes,  as  a  boy  I  was  very  delicate.  Nobody 
thought  I  could  last.     I  always  had  to  be  care- 


1 62     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

ful  of  myself.  Fifty  years  ago  I  was  refused  an 
insurance  policy.  My  family  history  was  bad. 
Consumption  in  the  family,  and  the  top  of  this 
lung  was  affected.' 

"memories  of  EDWIN  BOOTH 

"The  face  of  Edwin  Booth  flitted  before  the 
mind's  eye  somehow,  and  Jefferson  smiled 
gently  and  said: 

"'His  Hamlet,  his  Ruy  Bias,  his  anything — 
it  all  came  very  easy  to  Booth.  The  beauty  of 
his  face,  the  expressive  eyes,  the  grace  of  form 
and  rich  voice  had  won  three-quarters  of  the 
battle  before  he  said  a  word.  I  was  very  fond 
of  Booth.' 

"  It  was  a  pathetic  moment  and  recalled  to  me 
the  bleak  day  eleven  years  ago  in  the  Little 
Church  Around  the  Corner  at  the  funeral  of 
Edwin  Booth  when  'Joe'  Jefferson  was  chief 
mourner.  The  last  time  I  had  seen  them  alive 
together  was  at  the  great  Lester  Wallack  bene- 
fit at  the  Metropolitan  Opera  House,  where 
stars  and  leading  men  were  glad  to  play  as 
supers.  Then  Booth  was  Hamlet  and  Jeffer- 
son was  the  Gravedigger.  It  seemed,  as  the 
coffin  was  borne  away,  Jefferson,  bowed  with 
grief,  following  it,  that  the  day  was  closing 
swiftly  for  both  the  actors — the  Lord  Hamlet 


rtfay  ol"  ihe  Aiinr-riiiin  Art  Association,  New  York 

PORTRAIT  OF  MACREADY   AS   WILLIAM  TELL 

HENRY   INMAN,    I802-I846 

Pgrmerly  in  the  Jefferson  cullection 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  163 

and  the  Gravedigger.  Yet  here  was  the  Grave- 
digger  eleven  years  after,  as  jolly  as  a  sandboy, 
and  saying  'Argal'  with  the  same  quizzical 
smile.  Then  the  talk  turned  to  less  sombre 
things. 

"We  were  talking  about  *  building  up'  parts. 
I  asked  him  about  Our  American  Cousin,  in 
which  he  created  the  part  of  Asa  Trenchard, 
and  in  which  the  elder  Sothern  found  the  part 
of  Lord  Dundreary  and  afterward  built  it  up 
so  that  it  became  the  entire  play.  He  liked 
Sothern,  and  who  did  not? 

'"Yes,  and  Sothern  refused  the  part;  didn't 
want  to  play  it.  I  had  to  beg  him  to  try  it.  He 
did  it  reluctantly,  and  at  the  first  performance 
was  more  inclined  to  "  guy  "  the  part  than  play 
it.  So  once  when  a  lady  called  on  him  to  come 
to  her  he  arose  and  advanced  with  a  funny  little 
burlesque  skip,  like  this.' 

"  To  my  amazement  the  veteran  was  on  his  feet, 
his  eyes  twinkling,  giving  an  actual  lightfoot 
imitation  of  the  Dundreary  skip,  which,  like  the 
farmer's  shot  at  Concord,  went  '  round  the 
world.'     Jefferson  turned  round  and  went  on: 

" '  Sothern  was  pretty  smart,  and  he  said  to 
himself,  "  Hello!  this  is  going,"  and  he  skipped 
into  fame  after  that.  The  story  that  he  found 
the  skip  by  accidentally  stumbling  is  not  true. 


1 64     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

It  was,  I  believe,  true,  however,  about  the 
sneeze.  One  night  he  actually  was  going  to 
sneeze  and  trying  as  we  all  do  if  we  can  to  keep 
it  back.  The  audience  perceived  it — got  on,  as 
one  might  say — thought  it  was  a  wonderfully 
funny  thing  and  laughed  immoderately. 

"ACTORS  DO  NOT  LIKE  ORIGINALITY 

" '  It  is  a  curious  fact  that  the  actors  were  all 
against  the  part  and  against  Sothern's  conception 
of  it,  but  that's  the  way  with  actors.  They  don't 
like  originality  in  actors,  while  the  public  loves 
it.  That,  I  suppose,  is  because  actors  are  fol- 
lowers of  conventions,  knights  of  the  beaten 
track,  and  resent  the  free  lances  who  would 
strike  across  the  fields.  They  are  a  good  deal 
like  M.  Diafoirus  in  Moliere's  Malade  Imag- 
inaire — they  wouldn't  have  anybody  get  well 
if  he  didn't  cure  himself  "  according  to  regular 
forms  laid  down  and  prescribed." 

"'Yes,  the  public  likes  a  good  piece  of  acting 
off  the  beaten  track.  It  likes  new  types.  You 
know  Mose,  the  New  York  Fireman.  What  a 
hit  it  was  for  years!  Well,  it  was  a  little  coarse 
in  fibre,  and  actors  didn't  like  it;  but  the  public 
flocked  to  it.  I  played  Rip  so  long  because 
the  public  always  wanted  it. 

"  '  You  know  I  had  played  Rip  before  you  saw 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  165 

it  in  London,  though  not  in  the  present  version. 
I  never  changed  it  after  the  Adelphi  engage- 
ment. I  had  built  up  the  character  before  that. 
The  only  change  in  the  play  since  then  was  a 
little  shortening  of  it — about  twenty  minutes. 
I  did  that  as  I  saw  that  audiences  were  growing 
less  patient  with  whatever  did  not  advance  the 
main  storyof  the  play.  I  shortened  the  "  waits " 
between  acts,  too;  that  is  a  good  thing  always. 
Nobody  ever  missed  what  was  cut  out. 

" '  It  was  different  when  I  made  the  revival 
of  Richard  Brinsley  Sheridan's  The  Rivals. 
There  I  cut  out  the  sentimental  lovers  and  the 
coachman  and  so  on,  and  even  had  the  ends  of 
scenes  joined  together  with  new  lines.  I  was 
scored  heavily  in  some  quarters  for  this  "  sacri- 
lege"— that's  about  the  nature  of  the  crime,  I 
think — but  I  came  across  something  in  Doran's 
"  Annals  of  the  Stage  "  that  reassured  me.  Some 
time  later,  after  I  had  given  a  talk  to  the  stu- 
dents at  Harvard,  one  of  the  professors  got  up 
and  asked  me  how  I  excused  myself  for  muti- 
lating a  masterpiece  as  I  had  done.  I  said  in 
reply:  "Sir,  if  you  had  asked  me  that  question 
a  year  ago  I  should  have  been  covered  with  con- 
fusion, but  now  I  offer  Richard  Brinsley  Sheri- 
dan himself  in  my  defence.  You  must  know, 
sir,  as  every  schoolboy  does,  that  Sheridan  took 


1 66     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

Vanbrugh's  play,  The  Relapse,  or  Virtue  in 
Danger,  and  remodelled  it  into  A  Trip  to  Scar- 
borough, saying  in  his  preface  when  it  was  pub- 
lished that  when  good  plays  became  obsolete  in 
form  it  was  a  good  work  to  refit  them  to  the  age 
and  save  their  beauties  and  good  points  from 
oblivion." ' 

"'Was  the  professor  satisfied?' 

"'Well,  he  wasn't  very  vigorous  about  sacri- 
lege after  that.' 

"  CHARACTERS  THAT  HE  LIKES 

"'Which  of  your  many  scores  of  parts  did 
you  like  best  after  Rip?' 

"'After  Rip?'  said  the  comedian,  with  a  sort 
of  inflection  implying  a  'good  way'  after. 
"'Well,  of  course.  Bob— Bob  Acres  in  The 
Rivals.  I  liked  that,  and  then  Caleb — Caleb 
Plummer.'  A  tender  smile  played  upon  the 
old  man's  face  as  he  thought  of  Caleb  Plummer. 
It  would  have  done  the  ghost  of  Charles  Dick- 
ens good  to  have  seen  that  smile.  'And  after 
Caleb,  I  liked  Doctor  Pangloss  ..."  three 
hundred  pounds  a  year," '  and  he  smiled  again 
— another  kind  of  smile. 

"'What  do  you  consider  the  best  company 
you  ever  played  with?' 

" '  Do  you  mean  regular  company  or  on  special 


■ofthr  American  Art  A'soi-iation,  NVw  York 

PORTRAIT  OF  RICHARD   BRINSLEY   SHERIDAN 

BY   THOMAS   GAINSBOROUGH,    R.   A.     I727-I788 
Formerly  in  the  JetferBon  collection 


I 


1 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  167 

occasions?  Regular?  Oh,  by  long  odds  the 
company  at  Laura  Keene's  in  '56  and  around 
that  time.  It  worked  together  so  splendidly, 
and  the  material  was  so  good  all  the  way  through 
• — George  Jordan,  Charles  Wheatleigh,  Ed- 
ward A.  Sothern,  Charles  Couldock,  J.  H.  Stod- 
dart,  Laura  Keene,  Mary  Wells,  Sara  Stevens, 
Charlotte  Thompson,  and  others,  all  good — and 
myself.' 

"  In  talks  of  this  kind  there  comes  an  inevitable 
moment  when  the  greater  depths  of  being  must 
be  sounded.  We  skirt  them  and  avoid  them  as 
long  as  we  can.  At  last  we  talk  lower  and  look 
into  each  other's  eyes. 

"'You  have  decided,  then,  Mr.  Jefiferson,  to 
retire  permanently  from  your  profession?' 

"'Yes.  I  have  quite  decided  not  to  act  again 
professionally.' 

"'Well,  that  would  not  bar  you,  I  suppose, 
from  appearing  sometimes  in  the  great  cause  of 
charity?' 

"'That,  of  course,  might  happen;  yes,  that 
might  happen.  The  man  who  has  styled  him- 
self a  star  and  gathered  enough  golden  rays  to 
light  him  to  the  end  should  not  refuse  his  serv- 
ices to  help  those  of  his  craft  who  are  declining 
in  the  dark — those,  for  instance,  who  are  thrown 
upon  the  charity  of  the  actors'  fund  at  the  close 


1 68     INTIMATf:  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

of  their  working  days.  No  emolument  is  re- 
ceived under  such  circumstances  by  the  player, 
and  so  it  cannot  be  called  a  professional  ap- 
pearance. 

"  '  From  the  stage,  therefore,  I  have  retired 
permanently.' 

"  There  was  a  pause  of  several  seconds,  as  if  a 
prayer  were  being  said  in  the  heart,  while  far 
off  bells  were  slowly  sounding — '  And  the 
greatest  of  these  is  Charity.' 

" '  And  what  have  you  to  say  of  your  art  as  a 
whole?' 

" '  I  don't  know  that  I  can  talk  largely  about 
it  just  now.  For  myself,  I  have  always  been  a 
reverent  student  of  Art.  She  must  be  served 
with  care  and  constancy,  for  she  is  jealous  and 
will  not  be  slighted,  and  if  she  is  she  takes  a 
dreadful  revenge.  She  must  not  be  deserted, 
or  she  repays  deserters  with  oblivion.  I  always 
respected  my  art,  and  I  can  do  no  better,  per- 
haps, than  to  ask  all  men  and  women  on  and  off 
the  stage  to  respect  it,  for  it  is  human  nature 
aiming  at  the  best. ' 

''his  message  to  the  world 

" '  I  am  seventy-five,  you  know,  and  so,  no 
doubt,  am  entitled  to  be  old — and  I  have  been 
a  little  weak  of  late,  I'll  admit  that — but,  isn't 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  169 

it  funny,  I  feci  as  young  as  a  boy?  I  was  warned, 
you  know,  not  to  tire  myself  talking  to  you,  and 
I  would  not  do  anything  to  displease  the  nurse 
or  the  dear  ones  about  me,  but  I  enjoy  all  this — 
just  a  little  bit  excited  or  warmed  up,  but  it's 
all  right. 

" '  I'm  leaving  the  limelight  to  go  into  the  sun- 
shine and  I  leave  a  blessing  behind  me  and  pray 
for  a  blessing  before  me.  It  has  been  dear  to 
me — this  life  of  illuminated  emotion — and  it 
has  been  so  magnificently  repaid.  If  I  could 
send  an  eloquent  message  to  the  world  I  would, 
but  somehow  words  fail  me  when  I  try  to  say  it. 
I  have  been  doubly  repaid  by  the  sympathetic 
presence  of  the  people  when  I  was  playing,  and 
the  afifection  that  seems  to  follow  me,  like  the 
sunshine  streaming  after  a  man  going  down  the 
forest  trail  that  leads  over  the  hills  to  the  lands 
of  morning.     No,  I  can't  put  it  in  words.' 

"Then  a  gleam  of  humour  broke  across  the 
wistful  face,  and  he  said: 

" '  Perhaps  it's  a  good  thing  to  quit  the  stage 
before  the  people  have  a  chance  to  change  their 
minds  about  me. 

" '  I  belonged  to  the  stage  from  birth.  My 
son  Tom  is  the  fifth  of  the  line  of  acting  Jef- 
fersons  from  the  first,  who  played  with  Garrick. 
He's  playing  Rip.     I  saw  him  play  it,  and  he 


I70     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

does  it  well — the  pathetic  parts  particularly.  I 
have  had  fourteen  children,  and  seven  are  liv- 
ing, so  I  am  every  way  blessed.  I  have  grand- 
children and  great-grandchildren.  But  I  leave 
my  wider  family  behind  me — those  who  came 
to  see  me  at  the  theatre — and  I  have  a  smile  and 
a  warm  thought  for  them  all. 

"  *  I  should  like  to  send  them  a  tenderer  mes- 
sage— better  expressed,  anyway.  Perhaps  you 
can  do  it  better  for  me.  Something  chokes  a 
little  here  when  I  think  I  am  going  to  say  it — 
God  bless  them  all!' 

"Say  it  better,  indeed!" 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  171 

CHAPTER  IX 

THE  MAN 

Above  the  person,  frail,  imperfect  and  human,  towers 
the  noble  individual  whose  Ego  is  the  Deity. 

Carol  Norton. 

IT  has  been  said  that  a  man  is  perhaps  better 
known  by  his  valet  than  by  anyone  else  in 
the  world.  One  who  served  Mr.  Jefferson 
faithfully  in  that  capacity,  both  in  this  country 
and  abroad — Mr.  Sam  Phillips,  of  Cincinnati — 
gives  his  recollections  of  years  of  friendship  and 
privileged  intimacy  with  his  employer. 

"  Mr.  Jefferson  was  always  surprising  those 
who  knew  him  with  noble  deeds.  I  am  able  to 
recall  many  acts  of  kindness.  He  was  such  a 
lovable  and  whole-souled  gentleman  that  we  all 
adored  him,  and  yet  in  spite  of  his  gentleness 
one  could  not  help  recognising  the  master  in 
every  look,  action,  smile  or  gesture.  We  who 
were  with  him  so  constantly  could  not  help  but 
love  him,  and  how  happy  we  were  to  know  that 
we  had  won  and  retained  his  esteem. 

"  One  of  my  earliest  recollections  of  his  kind- 
ness to  others  is  of  a  Mr. ,  of  Philadelphia, 

to  whom  Mr.  Jefferson  would  send  me  weekly 


172     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

with  financial  assistance,  for  this  poor  gentle- 
man was  crippled  with  rheumatism.  He  and 
his  little  family  knew  no  want  during  Mr.  Jef- 
ferson's lifetime. 

"Then  there  was  an  old  actress  in  Baltimore, 
weak  and  infirm;  she  could  act  no  longer.  His 
bounty  kept  the  wolf  from  her  door,  and  every 
season  when  Mr.  Jefferson  played  an  engage- 
ment in  Baltimore,  the  dear  old  lady  would  call 
at  the  stage  door  of  the  theatre  to  show  her  grat- 
itude and  say,  '  God  bless  you,  Mr.  Jefferson.' 

"In  the  spring  of  1874  we  were  travelling 
from  Lexington  to  Louisville,  Kentucky.  I 
was  seated  beside  Mr.  Jefferson,  receiving  some 
instructions,  when  the  conductor  began  an  ar- 
gument with  the  man  in  front  of  us,  who  looked 
like  a  farmer,  and  who  had  with  him  two  little 
girls,  shabbily  dressed.  The  conductor  had  ob- 
jected to  the  amount  handed  him  for  their 
fares,  and  asked  for  an  additional  sum.  We 
heard  the  man  reply,  *  I  have  given  you  the  last 
cent  I  have  in  the  world.' 

"  Mr.  Jefferson  called  the  conductor,  handed 
him  the  fares,  and  asked  the  man  his  story.  The 
farmer  told  him  that  he  had  owned  a  nice  piece 
of  property  and  was  doing  well,  when  his  wife's 
eyesight  began  to  fail  and  she  became  helpless. 
Everything  he  owned  went  to  pay  doctors'  bills, 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  173 

and  he  was  now  using  his  last  dollar  to  take  his 
two  little  girls  to  see  their  mother,  perhaps  for 
the  last  time. 

"  Mr.  Jefferson,  not  wanting  to  humiliate  the 
man,  made  him  a  proposition.  '  Suppose,  my 
friend,  I  should  loan  you  forty  dollars.  Would 
you  try  to  pay  me  back  some  time?  ' 

''The  man's  eyes  filled  with  tears,  as  he  re- 
plied, '  I  certainly  would  try  hard,  sir.'  Then 
turning  to  me,  Mr.  Jefferson  said,  'Sam,  give 
the  gentleman  forty  dollars.' 

"While  we  were  in  England  in  the  year  1876, 
Mr.  Jefferson,  who  had  run  up  to  Scotland  for 
his  wife's  health,  had  been  informed  of  the 
serious  illness  of  a  once  popular  burlesque  ac- 
tress and  also  of  her  financial  troubles.  He 
wrote  to  me  from  Scotland  about  it  and  told  me 
to  call  and  do  whatever  was  necessary,  using  my 
own  judgment  as  to  conditions,  etc.,  and  to  con- 
tinue the  help  as  long  as  it  was  needed ;  but  I  was 
too  late — the  poor  lady  had  passed  on.  However, 
I  discovered  in  her  husband  an  old  roommate, 
with  whom  I  had  travelled  with  Mr.  Edwin 
Forrest.  Finding  him  in  needy  circumstances, 
I  gave  him  the  sum  named  by  Mr.  Jefferson, 
informing  my  employer  later  of  what  I  had 
done,  and  receiving  his  hearty  approval." 

Mr.   Sam   Phillips  left  Mr.  Jefferson's  em- 


174     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

ploy  with  many  regrets.  Having  a  wife  and 
family,  he  felt  it  his  duty  to  settle  down  and  give 
up  travelling.  Some  ten  years  after,  in  1890, 
he  received  a  letter  from  Mr.  Jefferson,  who 
was  then  playing  at  the  Walnut  Street  Theatre 
in  Philadelphia,  asking  a  favour.  Mr.  Jefferson 
had  heard  of  another  old  actress,  unable  to  work 
and  in  distress,  and  he  wanted  Sam  to  hunt  her 
up  and  arrange  for  her  to  receive  a  certain  sum 
each  week  from  him,  which  she  did  for  many 
years.  In  1898  this  old  lady  got  into  trouble 
with  the  United  States  government,  through 
signing  the  pension  papers  of  her  brother's 
widow,  who  had  married  the  second  time,  and 
the  unfortunate  woman  was  confined  in  jail. 
Sam  wrote  to  Mr.  Jefiferson  about  her  trouble 
and  received  the  following  reply  from  Buz- 
zards Bay: 

My  Dear  Sam: 

I  am  glad  you  wrote  me  about  poor  Mrs.  A.  I  am 
quite  sure  that  the  old  lady  has  not  been  guilty  of  any 
intentional  wrong,  and  we  must  tr}^  and  get  her  out  of 
jail,  or  she  will  die  of  sorrow.  I  would  like  you  to  em- 
ploy a  lawyer  to  see  what  can  be  done  in  securing  her  re- 
lease. Charge  all  to  me  and  send  her  her  allowance  just 
the  same. 

With  regards  to  yourself  and  family,  I  am 

Ever  your  friend, 

J.  Jefferson. 


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JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  175 

In  speaking  of  Mr.  Jefferson  on  his  planta- 
tion in  Louisiana,  Sam  says  that  he  was  much 
impressed  with  the  generous  manner  in  which 
he  treated  the  coloured  as  well  as  the  white  help 
on  the  place;  and  how  it  would  often  cause  the 
owners  of  the  other  plantations  to  remonstrate 
with  him  for  giving  the  coloured  people  white 
bread  and  milk,  and  also  for  being  so  friendly 
with  his  labourers — such  a  thing  being  most 
unusual  at  that  time. 

"  How  good-naturedly  did  he  appease  their 
wrath  and  turn  aside  their  anger.  I  have  seen 
him  sitting  on  a  log  and  chatting  with  '  Boston,' 
one  of  his  men,  and  the  coloured  '  gentleman ' 
was  almighty  proud  of  the  honour  conferred 
upon  him." 

Sam  would  be  sent  ahead,  during  the  days  of 
stock  companies,  to  rehearse  for  the  star.  In 
1 871  he  was  sent  to  Galveston.  He  began 
the  rehearsals  of  Rip  at  the  Greenwald  Opera 
House.  After  rehearsing  Wednesday,  Thurs- 
day, and  Friday,  and  getting  the  company  per- 
fect in  the  "  business  "  of  the  piece,  the  stage 
manager  informed  him  that  the  actors  had 
struck  and  that  he  would  have  to  begin  rehears- 
als again  with  a  new  company.  This  was  on 
Saturday,  and  Mr.  Jefferson  was  to  open  the 
following  Monday. 


17^  JOSEPH   JEFFERSON 

Upon  investigation  it  was  found  that  a  mem- 
ber of  the  company,  a  Mr.  St.  Clair  from  New 
York,  had  incurred  the  displeasure  of  the  stage 
manager  and  had  been  discharged.  The  actors 
loyally  stood  by  their  brother  artist  and  refused 
to  play  unless  he  was  reinstated  in  the  cast. 

What  Sam  called  a  "patchwork"  company 
was  offered  him  to  support  Mr.  Jefferson,  but 
he  indignantly  refused  to  rehearse  them,  saying 
that  he  would  place  the  matter  before  Mr.  Jef- 
ferson. Upon  his  arrival  from  his  plantation 
the  following  day,  Mr.  Jefferson  agreed  with 
Sam  that  they  must  have  the  regular  company 
or  none.  The  offending  actor  was  reinstated, 
and  all  thanked  Mr.  Jefferson  for  standing  up 
for  their  rights. 

The  actor  always  found  Mr.  Jefferson  to  be 
a  just  and  generous  friend.  Upon  one  occasion, 
wishing  to  show  him  their  appreciation  of  this, 
the  members  of  a  company  travelling,  in  1877, 
through  the  English  provinces,  thought  they 
would  like  to  make  him  a  present  of  a  loving- 
cup.  They  decided  to  give  a  banquet,  invite  the 
press,  make  speeches,  and  formally  present  the 
cup. 

Sam  Phillips  was  consulted,  and  knowing 
Mr.  Jefferson's  modest  nature,  which  always 
shrank    from    any    unnecessary    demonstration, 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  177 

prevailed  upon  the  company  to  abandon  the 
idea,  and,  instead,  to  purchase  and  present  to  the 
star  a  complete  painter's  outfit.  This  was  agreed 
upon,  the  purchase  made,  and  at  night  placed, 
unknown  to  him,  in  his  dressing-room  at  the 
theatre.     Sam  describes  the  scene: 

"  About  fifteen  minutes  after  his  entering,  the 
entire  company  assembled  outside  the  door.  We 
pushed  it  gently  open.  There  he  sat,  his  ex- 
pressive face  all  aglow  with  pleasure,  trying  one 
tube  of  colour  and  then  another,  just  like  a  boy 
with  a  new  pair  of  red  top  boots! " 

In  complete  contrast  to  the  memories  of  Mr. 
Phillips,  and  bringing  out  a  ^diflferent  side  of 
Mr.  Jefferson's  nature,  are  those  of  Mr.  Carl 
Kettler,  who  entered  Mr.  Jefferson's  service  in 
1897,  and  remained  in  his  employ  until  his  be- 
loved master  passed  away,  in  1905. 

Carl  always  declared  that  it  was  his  timely 
help  in  an  hour  of  need  that  first  recommended 
his  services  to  Mr.  Jefferson.  His  own  story  of 
the  first  meeting  with  the  man  he  afterward 
served  so  long  and  faithfully,  is  most  interesting. 

'^  It  was  in  Springfield,  Mass.,  the  opening 
night  of  the  all-star  cast  of  The  Rivals.  I 
was  then  in  the  service  of  Mr.  Nat  Goodwin, 
who  shared  the  same  dressing-room  with  Mr. 
Jefferson  upon  that  occasion.  I  was  asked  to  as- 


178     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

sist  in  dressing  the  Bob  Acres  wig,  and  while 
I  was  doing  so,  Mr.  Jefferson  came  into  the 
room  and  admired  my  work. 

"  Everybody  was  greatly  excited  over  the  first 
performance,  and  more  or  less  nervous.  When 
Mr.  Jefferson  was  partly  dressed  and  was  start- 
ing to  make  up  his  face,  he  suddenly  discov- 
ered that  he  had  forgotten  to  get  shaved  before 
coming  to  the  theatre.  I  came  to  his  rescue 
by  informing  him  that  shaving  was  part  of  my 
business,  and  he  gratefully  accepted  my  serv- 
ices. Afterwards  I  felt  that  I  had  certainly 
made  a  hit  with  him. 

"While  travelling  in  the  private  car,  when 
we  arrived  at  the  different  cities  at  which  the 
company  were  to  play,  the  ladies  and  gentlemen 
would  all  leave  the  car  to  go  driving  or  walk- 
ing, with  the  exception  of  Mr.  Jefferson,  who 
preferred  to  remain,  and  as  soon  as  he  was  alone 
he  would  start  in  painting.  I  watched  him  with 
much  interest,  and  when  he  had  finished,  I 
would  assist  him  in  cleaning  his  palette  and 
brushes.  He  was  very  grateful  and  seemed  to 
appreciate  my  services  so  much  that  his  son, 
Mr.  Charlie,  offered  me  a  position  when  I 
should  have  left  Mr.  Goodwin. 

"  One  year  later  I  saw  Mr.  Jefferson  in  New 
Orleans,  and  reminded  him  of  the  position  he 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  179 

had  offered  me.  I  was  duly  accepted  and  joined 
him  in  Boston  in  October.  During  my  first 
month,  in  my  anxiety  to  please  I  overdid  every- 
thing, and  Mr.  Jefferson  seemed  almost  to  re- 
sent the  personal  attention  I  felt  it  my  duty  to 
give  him.  By  degrees,  however,  he  got  used  to 
my  little  attentions  and  accepted  them.  Through 
his  kindness  to  me  I  got  so  that  I  was  constantly 
on  the  watch  and  tried  to  make  his  very  thoughts 
my  study,  in  order  to  anticipate  his  wants  be- 
fore he  had  time  to  express  them. 

"  At  the  end  of  the  fall  tour,  he  was  so  used  to 
my  attentions  that  he  offered  to  take  me  South 
with  him. 

"On  our  way  to  Florida  we  stopped  over  at 
St.  Augustine,  and  spent  the  time  in  fishing  until 
the  hotels  at  Palm  Beach  should  be  opened. 

"  My  troubles  began  after  we  left  St.  Au- 
gustine. Mr.  Jefferson  being  an  ardent  fisher- 
man, it  was  my  duty  to  charter  boats,  and  hunt 
up  men  to  catch  bait — for  in  the  early  part  of 
the  season  at  Palm  Beach,  men  were  very  scarce. 
Finally,  I  made  up  my  mind  to  buy  a  cast  net 
and  catch  my  own  bait.  I  arose  each  morning 
at  daybreak,  and  after  considerable  hard  prac- 
tice I  became  so  successful  that  I  surprised 
even  the  native  fishermen.  One  cloudy  morning 
my  employer  came  down  to  my  shack,  which 


i8o     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

was  also  Mr.  Jefferson's  studio,  fitted  up  with 
fishing  tackle  and  canvas,  and  told  me  he  would 
not  go  out  fishing  that  day  unless  it  cleared. 
After  he  had  gone,  I  remembered  I  had  no  bait, 
and  I  immediately  set  about  catching  some,  when 
all  at  once  Mr.  Jefferson  returned  on  his  tricycle. 
He  was  much  surprised  to  see  me  casting  for 
bait,  and  his  presence  made  me  so  nervous  and 
excited  that  instead  of  catching  the  mullets,  I 
drove  them  out  into  deep  water  and  had  to  get 
Into  a  rowboat  and  go  after  them.  I  found  that 
casting  a  net  from  a  rowboat  was  a  far  different 
proposition  from  casting  from  the  dock.  I  had 
never  tried  it  before,  and  my  worthy  friends  the 
fishermen  began  to  snicker  at  my  attempts.  From 
where  he  was  standing  on  the  wharf,  Mr.  Jef- 
ferson pointed  out  a  small  school  of  mullets.  I 
stood  up  in  the  boat  and  made  a  dive  at  them 
with  the  net;  the  boat  moved  backward  and  I 
went  forward,  landing  with  the  net  in  the  water. 
"When  I  came  to  the  surface,  I  heard  the 
howls  of  the  fishermen — but  the  look  on  Mr. 
Jefferson's  face  I  shall  never  forget,  and  al- 
though I  could  have  swallowed  the  lake  through 
mortification,  I  had  to  laugh  myself.  I  don't 
think  that  in  all  the  years  I  was  with  Mr.  Jef- 
ferson I  ever  saw  that  look  again.  I  am  of  the 
firm  opinion  that  he  wanted  to  laugh  at  my  mis- 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON 


i»i 


fortune,  but  in  a  twinkling  he  realised  the  dan- 
ger that  I  was  in,  and  suppressed  it.  I  noticed 
that  afterwards  he  would  never  enter  a  boat 
with  me  without  several  life-preservers  on 
board. 

"  My  next  misfortune  in  that  boat  happened 
one  morning  when  I  had  taken  him  out  on  the 
lake  to  paint  a  picturesque  point  on  the  opposite 
shore.  I  had  arranged  his  easel,  palette,  and 
brushes,  and  we  started  to  drift  down  Lake 
Worth.  I  was  so  interested  in  watching  the 
rapid  strokes  of  Mr.  Jefferson's  brush,  that  I 
did  not  notice  a  half-submerged  log  in  the  water, 
and  we  ran  into  it.  The  sudden  jolt  sent  Mr. 
Jefferson  forward  right  into  the  freshly  painted 
canvas,  and  in  order  to  save  himself  he  put  his 
whole  hand  into  the  palette.  When  I  finally 
backed  the  boat  off  of  the  log,  I  went  to  his  as- 
sistance, for,  bless  his  good-natured  soul !  he  never 
said  a  word,  but  how  he  looked!  That  settled 
painting  scenery  from  rowboats. 

"  Mr.  Tom  Jefferson  was  the  practical  joker 
of  the  family,  but  sometimes  his  father  could 
equal  him,  for  Mr.  Jefferson  was  always  an 
excellent  companion  to  his  children,  as  well  as 
a  kind  and  considerate  father.  Upon  one  occa- 
sion, after  our  spring  tour,  Mr.  Charlie  and 
Mr.  Tom  arranged  for  their  father  to  accom- 


1 82     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

pany  them  on  a  fishing  trip  to  Mt,  Pocono.  I 
went  with  them,  and  on  the  first  night  Mr.  Jef- 
ferson went  to  my  room  and  doubled  up  my  bed 
sheet,  to  the  great  joy  of  his  son  Tom,  who  later 
in  the  evening  most  considerately  offered  to  show 
me  to  my  room  and  carefully  took  the  lamp 
away  before  I  was  ready  to  retire.  I  thought  I 
never  would  get  into  that  bed! 

"At  Buzzards  Bay  I  first  had  the  honour  of 
meeting  Mr.  Jefferson's  friend,  the  Honourable 
Grover  Cleveland.  I  shall  never  forget  the 
awe  I  felt  when  fishing  alone  in  a  rowboat 
with  the  President  of  the  United  States!  He 
was  most  considerate,  and  seemed  to  possess  the 
faculty  of  making  one  feel  at  once  perfectly  at 
ease. 

"  Once  when  we  were  fly  fishing  in  Sandwich 
with  the  ex-President,  I  quite  unconsciously 
threw  a  pebble  into  the  water,  which  Mr.  Jef- 
ferson mistook  for  a  trout  jumping  for  his  fly. 
I  have  to  confess  I  was  about  to  repeat  the  act, 
just  to  enjoy  the  excitement,  when  Mr.  Tom 
caught  me  in  the  act.  I  would  not  have  had 
Mr.  Jefferson  know  of  my  deception  for  all  the 
world,  and  I  had  no  idea  that  he  had  ever  been 
told  about  it,  until  I  saw  the  fact  published  in 
Mr.  Wilson's  book. 

"  I  had  never  realised  what  a  popular  man 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  183 

Mr.  Jefferson  was  until  I  went  with  him  to 
Green  Acre,  where  he  gave  a  lecture  on  Art  and 
the  Drama.  After  the  lecture  the  ladies  formed 
in  line  and  went  upon  the  platform  to  shake 
hands  with  Mr.  Jefferson,  and  I  actually  saw 
some  of  them  go  back  to  the  end  of  the  line  to 
shake  his  hand  again.  When  our  summer  sea- 
son was  over  at  Buzzards  Bay,  we  went  on  a 
ten  weeks'  tour,  and  when  the  tour  was  over, 
Mr.  Jefiferson  and  myself  went  to  Florida  alone, 
stopping  at  Ormonde,  where  I  chartered  a 
launch  going  up  to  the  Indian  river,  which  was 
a  most  delightful  trip.  When  we  reached  Fort 
Pearce,  Mr.  Jefferson  made  up  his  mind  to  stay 
there  until  the  hotels  in  Palm  Beach  opened. 
Shortly  after  our  arrival  at  Fort  Pearce  a  friend 
sent  his  launch  from  Miami  and  placed  it  at 
Mr.  Jefferson's  disposal.  One  day  after  com- 
ing home  from  catching  bait,  I  was  surprised 
to  see  Mr.  Jefferson  endeavouring  to  arise 
from  his  chair,  but  not  able  to  do  so.  In 
fixing  his  fish  lines  he  invariably  used  cob- 
bler's wax,  and  unfortunately  he  had  sat 
down  upon  some.  Well,  we  had  great  fun,  and 
I  finally  released  him  only  after  cutting  away 
part  of  his  overalls. 

"  As  soon  as  the  hotels  opened  in  Palm  Beach, 
we  left  Fort  Pearce,  to  the  great  joy    of  Mr. 


1 84     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

Jefiferson,  who  was  very  anxious  to  get  at  the 
red  snapper  and  bluefish  in  the  inlet.  My  em- 
ployer had  enjoyed  the  launch  so  much  that  he 
had  a  beautiful  one  built,  w^hich  he  named  after 
his  wife,  *  Toney.'  After  that  we  took  several 
long  excursions,  and  on  one  of  these  trips  we 
went  to  Stewart  to  meet  Mr.  Cleveland.  While 
on  our  way  up  there,  Captain  Jarvis  ran  his 
launch  on  to  a  sand  bank,  causing  the  breaking 
of  the  painter  of  one  of  our  rowboats;  I  picked 
up  an  anchor  and  started  to  jump  into  another 
boat,  when  the  captain  gave  the  launch  a  jerk, 
and  overboard  I  went,  anchor  in  my  hand. 
Coming  to  the  surface,  I  saw  Mr.  Jefferson  run- 
ning around  the  launch  shouting  for  life-savers 
and  crying:  'Wait,  Carl!  wait!  I  will  throw 
you  a  life-saver! '  But  not  being  of  the  waiting 
kind,  I  made  for  the  rowboat.  When  finally  I 
got  back  to  the  launch  I  received  my  usual  rep- 
rimand on  overdoing  things. 

"On  one  of  these  occasions,  while  the  fish 
were  not  biting  as  freely  as  they  might  have 
done.  Captain  Clowe  in  his  droll  way  suggested 
a  little  '  real  bait'  in  the  form  of  a  whiskey  sour. 
There  was  one  reverend  gentleman  in  the  crowd 
who  objected,  and  the  Captain  suggested  a  little 
milk,  giving  me  the  wink.  I  made  a  very  light 
milk  punch,  and  I  shall  never  forget  the  expres- 
sion on  the  reverend  gentleman's  face  when  he 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  185 

took  the  first  swallow  of  that  punch.  He 
smacked  his  lips  and  drank  the  whole,  then 
looked  up  at  the  Captain,  and  said:  'My,  what 
a  cow!'" 

Mr.  Jefferson  once  made  the  request  of  Lau- 
rence Hutton  that  some  time  he  would  write 
about  him  in  a  "  kindly  way "  after  he  was 
gone.  Mr.  Hutton  wrote  the  following  article 
for  Harper's  Weekly  at  the  time  Mr.  Jefiferson 
was  dangerously  ill  in  New  York: 

"  The  man  who  has  amused  and  entertained 
millions  of  his  fellow  beings,  who  has  made 
half  the  English-speaking  world  laugh  and  cry; 
who  has  given  his  fellow  men  many  a  moment 
of  happy  forgetfulness  of  care  and  of  trial — has, 
surely,  done  as  much  for  humanity  as  has  the 
man  who  helped  a  blade  of  grass  to  grow  where 
never  was  a  blade  before. 

"  Jefferson  made  me  happy  in  more  ways 
than  one.  In  his  art  he  touched  and  moved 
and  pleased  me.  And  his  good  will  and  friend- 
ship I  dearly  prized.  I  remember  one  occasion 
when,  unwittingly  and  quite  unconsciously,  he 
made  me  very  happy  indeed.  It  was  at  a  board 
meeting  of  The  Players,  early  in  the  existence 
of  that  organisation.  Booth  presided;  Jeffer- 
son, Barrett,  and  Harry  Edwards  were  present 
— there  were  giants  in  those  days!  Some  unim- 
portant motion  was  made,  seconded — seconded, 


1 86     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

I  think,  by  Jefferson  himself — and  was  about  to 
be  put  to  vote  without  discussion,  when  I  inter- 
rupted. I  explained  that  I  had  been  occupied, 
as  secretary,  with  the  recording  of  the  previous 
motion  and  other  minutes,  and  that  I  would  like 
to  say  a  word  or  two  upon  the  subject;  giving 
my  plain,  simple,  matter-of-fact,  practical  rea- 
sons, as  an  officer  of  the  club,  why  the  matter, 
in  the  best  interests  of  the  club,  should  not,  at 
that  time,  be  determined  or  settled.  Jefferson, 
after  a  moment  of  hesitation,  said:  'I  think 
Laurence  is  right!'  Booth  saw  the  expression 
of  my  face,  and  cried:  '  Look  at  the  boy!' — our 
gatherings  were  always  very  informal — '  Look 
at  the  boy!  he  is  blushing  like  a  girl!'  And  I 
was  blushing  like  a  girl,  with  pleasure,  at  the 
epithet.  Jefferson,  without  thinking  of  it,  had 
called  me  by  my  first  name,  and  for  the  first 
time!  It  was  a  small  matter  to  him.  Never 
realising  it,  perhaps,  he  had  thought  of  me  as 
*■  Laurence,'  and  had  so,  in  public,  spoken  of 
and  to  me!  He  was  always  to  me  '  Mr.  Jeffer- 
son.' To  him  I  am  glad  to  think  that  I  always 
remained  simply  '  Laurence.'  Other  men 
nearer  my  own  age  and  my  own  size,  have 
'  thee'd '  and  '  thou'd '  me,  and  I  have  never  been 
afraid  to  '  thou'  and  '  thee'  them,  as  a  matter  of 
course.    But  it  seems  to  me  that,  as  a  man  of  my 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  187 

years  and  of  my  mental  stature,  I  received,  in  a 
social  way,  my  patent  of  nobility  when  I  was 
called  familiarly  by  my  first  name  by  the  man 
who  was  not  only  the  dean  of  his  own  guild,  but 
a  deacon  of  mine! 

"  Jefferson  had  no  little  humour.  It  was 
happy  and  quaint.  And  it  came  trippingly 
from  his  brain  and  his  tongue;  often  as  a  sur- 
prise, even  to  himself.  In  the  spring  of  1898 
we  spent  one  long,  busy  evening  together  at  The 
Players',  attempting  to  label  the  vast  collection 
of  theatrical  portraits  which  that  institution 
contains.  As  Jefferson  said,  our  own  generation 
knows  that  Miss  Rehan  is  not  Miss  Terry,  and 
even  that  Macready  is  not  Forrest;  but  how 
will  the  generations  to  come  be  able  to  distin- 
guish John  Drew  from  John  Gilbert,  for  in- 
stance; Henry  Irving  from  Henry  Placide; 
Charlotte  Cushman  from  Adelaide  Neilson;  or 
Joseph  Jeflerson,  as  Dr.  Pangloss,  in  The  Heir 
at  Law,  from  Joseph  Cowell,  as  Crack,  in  The 
Turnpike  Gate,  if  they  are  not  all  carefully 
docketed? 

"  He  was  familiar  with  the  older  names  and 
faces,  Mr.  Duff  and  Mrs.  Darley.  I,  of  course, 
recognised  the  younger,  Miss  Annie  Robe  and 
Miss  Mina  Gale;  and  everything  was  accom- 
plished to  our  entire  satisfaction,  until  we  came 


1 88     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

to  the  portrait  of  the  Father  of  his  Country,  in 
the  place  of  honour  in  the  library.  '  I  don't 
suppose  there  is  any  use  of  putting  a  tag  on 
hirn'  said  Jefferson.  And  then  I  told  him  the 
story  of  the  painting.  Booth  had  bought  it 
years  ago,  to  help  an  impoverished  Virginia 
family,  who  had  to  part  with  it,  and  who 
contended — which  the  credulous  Booth  half  be- 
lieved— that  it  was  done  from  life  by  some 
forgotten  local  and  contemporary  artist.  I  ex- 
plained how  Booth  had  apologised  for  it,  as  out 
of  place  in  a  gallery  supposed  to  be  devoted  to 
players  exclusively,  when  Mr.  Thomas  Bailey 
Aldrich  had  eased  the  mind  of  the  founder,  by 
saying  that  '  Washington  was,  at  all  events,  our 
"  leading  man."  '  The  remark  as  a  standard 
piece  of  Attic  scintillation  had  lived  in  the  club, 
and  had  been  repeated  and  enjoyed  for  eight  or 
more  years.  But  Jefferson  capped  it  in  an  in- 
stant; and  with  that  droll  twinkle  of  the  eye 
which  we  all  knew  and  all  remember,  he  added, 
'  And  he  was  in  the  first  piece.' 

"  I  had  always  regretted  that  I  did  not  set 
down  in  my  tablets  the  words  of  wisdom,  wit, 
and  applied  common  sense  which  fell  from  Jef- 
ferson's lips  from  the  very  beginning  of  my 
pleasant  social  association  with  him,  at  The 
Players'  and  elsewhere.     I  have  preserved  only 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  189 

a  little  of  his  table-talk;  but  that,  in  a  scattering 
way,  is  perhaps  worth  recording  here. 

^'  In  reply  to  the  query  of  an  earnest  young 
Thespian  at  The  Players'  one  night,  as  to 
whether  the  actor  should  predominate  his  part, 
or  the  part  should  predominate  the  actor,  he 
said  that  their  profession  was  like  none  of  the 
others;  that  everything  depended  upon  the  spirit 
of  the  moment.  The  actor  could  not  scratch 
out,  or  rewrite,  as  the  author  could;  he  could 
not  wipe  out  and  paint  over,  as  the  artist  of  the 
brush.  He  must  make  his  point  at  once,  and 
stand  or  fall  with  it;  adding,  that  upon  the  stage, 
it  seemed  to  him,  '  an  ounce  of  effect  was  worth 
a  pound  of  correctness.' 

"  Speaking  of  Salvini  and  his  acting,  he  told 
us  that  a  certain  Boston  manager,  who  had  en- 
gaged the  famous  Italian's  services  for  a  season, 
wanted  to  know  if  he  was  to  be  put  down  on  the 
bills  as  Mons.  or  Sig. 

"  A  domestic  player,  not  standing  very  high  in 
the  profession,  was  informed  by  the  same  man- 
ager that  he  could  not  receive  an  engagement 
at  that  house  at  any  price.  By  wire — collect  on 
delivery — flashed  back  the  immediate  reply, 
*  I  accept  the  terms! ' 

"Jefferson,  speaking  of  the  continuous  per- 
formances and  the  variety  shows  of  the  present 


igo     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

time,  compared  with  the  legitimate  plays  of  his 
younger  days — the  nightly  change  of  bills,  be- 
fore matinees  were  invented — said  that  the 
existing  form  differed  from  the  Shakespear- 
ean representations  of  the  past  in  more  ways 
than  one.  '  Shakespeare,'  he  concluded,  '  was 
not  for  a  day,  but  for  all  time,'  while  Mr.  Tony 
Pastor  and  his  fellow  managers  are  not  for  a 
time,  but  for  all  day!  A  prosaic  purist  spoiled 
the  pith  of  the  pun,  adding  nothing  to  the  gai- 
ety of  the  occasion,  or  to  his  own  popularity  in 
the  assemblage,  by  correcting  the  quotation,  and 
informing  the  protagonist  that  the  line  reads, 
*  not  for  an  age/ 

"  Jefferson  used  to  say  that  the  most  gratifying 
compliment  he  ever  received  was  paid  to  him 
by  a  negro  waiter  at  Catskill.  He  had  gone 
there  to  open  the  new  theatre  with  Rip  Van 
Winkle,  and  he  was  the  guest  of  the  town.  (The 
story  of  the  negro  waiter  is  told  by  Mr.  Jeffer- 
son in  his  lecture  for  the  Newsboys'  Home  in 
Louisville,  Ky.) 

"  The  occasion  was  a  very  interesting  one  to 
him,  and  it  was  considered  very  important  by 
the  inhabitants.  Many  preparations  were  made, 
and  little  else  had  been  talked  about  for  days. 
For  the  first  time  the  actor  was  to  play  the 
familiar  part  upon  the  very  spot  where  its 
scenes  were  laid,  and,  naturally,  he  felt  the  un- 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  191 

usual  influences  of  the  fact.  After  the  perform- 
ance was  over,  the  streets  were  illuminated  in 
his  honour,  the  horses  were  taken  from  his  car- 
riage, and  he  was  dragged  back  to  his  hotel  by 
a  band  of  enthusiastic  young  men. 

"Jefferson  was  the  only  person  to  succeed 
Booth  as  president  of  The  Players'.  He  stood 
absolutely  alone  in  America  on  the  eminence 
which  the  giants  of  his  profession  had  erected 
for  themselves;  and  no  one  came  as  high  as  his 
knees!  He  became,  then,  the  dean  of  his  guild, 
and  he  was  in  every  respect  worthy  of  the  high 
office.  He  was  one  of  the  gentlest,  sweetest, 
cleanest  characters  I  ever  knew.  He  never  did 
a  mean  or  selfish  thing.  He  never  said  an  un- 
wise or  an  unkind  word. 

"  He  came  of  a  theatrical  family.  His  father 
and  grandfather  and  great-grandfather  were 
players — and  always  good  players  and  good 
men — before  him.  He  honoured  his  name  and 
his  work,  and  he  was  an  honour  to  both.  He 
never  assumed  or  asserted  himself.  He  was  shy 
in  the  presence  of  strangers,  and  he  trembled 
like  a  young  and  inexperienced,  self-respecting 
girl  when  thrown  into  a  prominent  position  out- 
side of  his  immediate  work  as  an  actor. 

"  He  was  a  man  concerning  whose  private 
life  there  has  never  been  a  shadow  of  slanderous 
insinuation.     He  was  strictly  temperate  in  his 


192     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

habits.  A  little  claret  and  water  was  the  strong- 
est liquor  he  ever  drank,  and  '  Here's  your  good 
health,  and  your  family's!'  and  '  Dis  von  vont 
gount,'  were  not  in  his  phrase  book  off  the 
stage.  On  one  occasion  of  Booth's  birthday,  a 
party  of  his  most  intimate  friends  met  at  The 
Players',  Jefferson  among  them,  and  surprised 
the  tragedian  by  a  little  supper  in  the  dining- 
room  after  the  play.  It  chanced  that  among 
the  desserts  were  ices  in  the  form  of  various 
fruits  and  flowers,  and  that  an  ice-cream  potato 
was  put  upon  Jefferson's  plate.  Whether  it 
was  by  accident  or  not  I  never  heard.  But  with 
one  voice  we  exclaimed,  to  his  great  amusement, 
*  Give  him  a  cold  potato  and  let  him  go! ' 

"Jefferson  liked  to  tell  the  following  story 
upon  himself.  He  was,  of  course,  well  known 
personally  to  thousands  of  men  whom  he  did 
not  know.  He  was  constantly  meeting  strangers 
who  always  remembered  him,  and  the  fact  that 
they  had  met  him,  but  whom  he  did  not  always 
remember.  He  was  very  sensitive  upon  this 
subject,  and  was  greatly  distressed  when  he  for- 
got a  face  or  a  name  which  he  ought  not  to  have 
forgotten.  One  day,  coming  down  in  the  ele- 
vator from  the  top  story  of  the  Mills  building 
in  Wall  street.  New  York,  he  noticed  a  stout, 
compact  little  man  who  entered  the  car  at  the 


^  t 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  193 

next  floor,  who  looked  at  him  for  a  moment, 
evidently  waiting  for  recognition,  and  then  held 
out  his  hand  and  said:  *  How  do  you  do,  Mr. 
Jefferson!'  The  actor,  of  course,  responded  in 
his  usual  cordial,  hearty  way,  and  replied: 
'Why,  why,  why!  How  do  you  do?  When  did 
you  come  to  town,  and  how  long  are  you  going 
to  be  here? ' 

"The  stranger  said:  *  But  I  live  here,  Mr. 
Jefferson,  and  you  don't  know  who  I  am!' 

"'Well,'  the  protagonist  confessed,  'I  know 
your  face  perfectly,  of  course,  but  I  can't  place 
you.  I  see  many  faces,  and  I'm  apt  to  get  con- 
fused in  my  study  of  physiognomy.'  The  little 
stout,  compact  stranger  smiled  as  he  turned  his 
cigar  over  in  his  mouth,  and  said,  '  I'm  General 
Grant!' 

"Jefferson  always  declared  that  he  got  out  at 
the  next  landing  and  walked  down  three  flights 
of  stairs  to  the  street,  for  fear  he  would  make 
himself  additionally  conspicuous  by  asking  the 
gentleman  if  he  had  ever  been  in  Washington, 
or  if  he  was  a  veteran  of  the  late  war! 

"  Jefferson,  speaking  of  the  labours  to  him  of 
letter-writing,  said  that  he  was  so  accustomed 
to  applause  on  the  instant  he  made  a  point  on 
the  stage,  that  he  could  not  bear  to  make  a  point, 
even  in  a  formal  note,  and  feel  that  he  could 


194     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

never  know  whether  it  fell  flat  or  '  took  the 
house.'  And  he  added  that  he  knew  nothing  so 
pathetic  as  my  writing  an  article  which  was  not 
to  see  the  light  of  print  for  a  year.  He  sin- 
cerely pitied  a  man  who  didn't  '  get  a  hand  for 
a  twelvemonth ! ' 

"  In  setting  down  these  words  about  Jefferson 
I  am  only  fulfilling  his  spoken  wish.  '  In  the 
natural  course  of  events,  Laurence,'  he  remarked 
to  me  once,  '  you'll  have  something  to  say  about 
me  after  I'm  gone ;  and  I  know  you  will  say  it 
in  a  kindly  way.  I  only  ask  that  you  will  not 
make  my  death-mask,  to  hang  with  the  rest  of 
them  in  that  Chamber  of  Horrors  of  yours  up- 
town! There  are  certain  things  about  myself 
as  an  actor,  that  I  want  said,  which  I  can't  say, 
and  which  can't  be  said  by  anybody  yet!  Will 
you  say  them  for  me  when  the  time  comes?  I'll 
write  them  down  and  send  them  to  you.'  He 
did  write  them  down — quite  voluminously,  he 
told  me — and  he  sent  them;  but,  alas!  they 
never  reached  my  hand.  It  was  afterwards 
discovered  that  a  hotel  bellboy — who  was  in  the 
habit  of  doing  such  things — had  stolen  and 
destroyed  the  document,  appropriated  the 
stamps,  and  had  sold  the  signature  to  a  collector 
of  autographs. 

"  I   never  knew  what  the  paper  contained. 


I 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  195 

He  promised  to  rewrite  it,  but  he  never  did. 
And  those  who  love  him,  and  the  theatre-going 
world  at  large,  are  so  much  the  poorer. 

"  I  hope  that  what  I  have  said  of  Jefferson 
here  has  been  said  in  '  a  kindly  way,'  and  as  he 
would  have  wished  it  said." 

Mr.  William  Winter  was  one  of  Joseph  Jef- 
ferson's oldest  and  closest  friends.  He  thus 
speaks  of  the  man  as  he  knew  him: 

"  Some  leaders  of  mankind  prevail  by  what 
they  do.  Jefferson  prevailed  by  what  he  was — 
incarnate  goodness,  without  insipidity;  tender 
humanity,  without  effusive  weakness;  exuber- 
ant humour,  that  was  never  gross;  nimble  wit, 
that  was  never  unkind;  and  piquant  eccentricity, 
that  was  equally  sweet  and  droll.  The  spiritual 
cogency  of  his  life,  accordingly,  the  authority  of 
his  character  and  the  illuminative  and  final  ex- 
planation of  his  amazing  artistic  career  can  be 
designated  by  the  single  word,  charm.  He  was 
not  distinctively  an  intellectual  power,  as,  for 
example,  Henry  Irving  is — but  in  the  realm  of 
emotion  his  power  was  supreme.  He  spoke  to 
the  heart.  He  did  not  dominate  by  force.  He 
made  no  effort  to  command.  He  allured  by 
spontaneous  sweetness,  and  he  subdued  by  un- 
studied grace.  He  had  an  abundance  of  worldly 
wisdom,  but  his  best  conscience,  in  the  manage- 


196     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

ment  of  worldly  affairs,  was  to  dwell  away  from 
the  world,  to  avoid  wrongs  that  he  could  not  re- 
dress, and  to  ignore  complications  of  circum- 
stance that  he  was  unable  to  adjust.  He  could 
not  have  managed  society.  He  could  not  have 
led  the  way  in  any  conflict.  Endued  with  per- 
fect morality,  he  yet  had  no  moral  enthusiasm. 
The  moment  after  he  had  seen  the  serious  side 
of  anything  he  saw  the  comic  side  of  it.  Reso- 
lute in  will,  he  yet  had  no  aggressive  impulse. 
He  shrunk  from  all  strife.  His  province,  as  he 
understood  it,  was  to  dispense  humour  and  kind- 
ness. His  vocation  was  the  ministry  of  beauty. 
Mirth  was  his  herald;  happiness  attended  him, 
and  love  followed  after.  He  had,  as  all  men 
have,  who  amount  to  anything,  trials,  responsi- 
bilities, and  cares,  and  these  he  bore  with  dutiful 
constancy  and  in  silence;  but,  mentally  and  spir- 
itually, in  his  abstract  and  artistic  life,  he  lived 
as  the  rose  lives — tranquil  and  sufficient  in  it- 
self, heedlessly  yielding  its  fragrance,  and  pleas- 
ing all  eyes  with  its  perfection  of  colour  and 
bloom." 

Among  the  numerous  high  tributes  paid  Mr. 
Jefferson  by  the  press  at  the  time  of  his  death 
was  the  following  from  the  New  York  Evening 
Telegram: 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  197 

"JOSEPH  JEFFERSON 

"  It  is  a  great  thing  to  be  a  great  actor,  but  it 
is  a  finer  thing  to  be  a  great  man.  We  call  him 
the  dean  of  the  American  stage,  but  that  is  not 
the  right  word.  There  is  not  in  the  human 
tongue  a  word  to  tell  the  grandeur  and  genius 
that  made  Joe  Jefferson  the  idol  of  the  age. 

"  We  think  of  him  as  the  kindest,  gentlest, 
manliest  man  of  all  America.  He  was  big 
enough  to  bear  a  nickname.  Those  who  loved 
him  called  him  Joe;  and  those  who  did  not  love 
him  did  not  know  him.  He  died  without  fear 
or  without  a  struggle,  and  yet,  he  had  no  re- 
ligion but  that  of  doing  good. 

"  He  was  a  perfectly  honest  man  and  did  not 
kneel  to  any  god.  He  knew  the  royal  dominion 
of  the  thinker's  brain,  and  in  his  heart  was  no 
trace  of  fear  or  hate. 

"Joseph  Jefferson  belonged  to  the  great  im- 
mortals, the  educated  men  of  which  the  world 
has  produced  so  few.  He  was  an  all-round 
man.  He  possessed  intellect  and  emotion  in 
the  right  degree.  He  had  a  mind  that  could 
see  and  a  heart  that  could  feel.  He  could  act, 
paint,  fish,  write,  plant,  dig,  pity,  enjoy,  and  love, 
and,  above  all,  he  knew  how  to  be  a  friend. 

"  He  was  the  prince  of  actors,  the  only  be- 


198     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

gotten,  the  pet  and  pride  of  Thalia.  On  the 
stage  his  manner  had  the  ease  of  genius,  his 
method  the  perfection  of  law. 

"  He  knew  the  midnights  of  failure  and  the 
noondays  of  success,  and  he  had  indulged  in 
the  fond  illusions  of  hope  that  so  often  strand 
and  wreck  the  noblest  and  the  best.  He  felt 
the  laughter  of  the  sad — he  saw  the  tears  and 
heard  the  cries  of  the  happy  and  the  blessed. 
He  had  learned  in  youth  that  humour  is  the  best 
of  medicines  next  to  air,  sunshine,  and  rain,  and 
he  was  ever  master  of  its  fancies,  darts,  and 
scorns.  Nor  did  he  value  less  the  power  of 
imagination,  the  mother  of  all  art,  and  of  it  he 
said:  'Imagination  has  given  us  the  highest 
dramatic  com.positions,  and  enters  into  the  best 
form  of  acting.'  Jefferson  was  a  great  actor 
because  he  was  a  great  man. 

"  He  was  generous  with  his  wealth,  but  he 
was  not,  like  many  famous  men,  generous  to 
the  point  of  indiscretion.     .     .     . 

"  He  always  came  to  the  assistance  of  the 
weak,  the  homeless,  and  the  outcast.  He  be- 
stowed favours  on  all  those  who  worked  with 
him  and  made  his  success  possible;  he  paid  lib- 
erally, and  with  them  all  he  shared  the  glory  of 
every  triumph. 

"  If  anyone  wants  to  know  why  Joseph  Jef- 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  199 

ferson  made  a  splendid  success  of  his  life,  let 
him  read  the  dead  actor's  own  reasons: 

"'The  surest  way  to  fall  is  to  imitate  some 
one  else.    You  must  be  yourself. 

"  *  Never  try  to  gauge  the  intelligence  of  your 
audience  by  the  price  of  seats. 

'"Always  keep  the  promise  you  make  to  the 
public.  Always  do  the  thing  you  can  do  the 
best. 

"*  Never  allow  vulgarity  or  impurity  to  tar- 
nish a  performance.' 

"  The  man  who  wrote  these  words  is  dead, 
and  to  his  memory  all  Americans  pay  the  trib- 
ute of  their  love  and  tears. 

"  They  loved  him  living  and  they  love  him 
dead.  Farewell,  good  man  and  great — Fare- 
well!    Farewell!" 


200    INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 


CHAPTER   X 

FRIENDS 

He  could  act,  paint,  fish,  write,  plant,  dig,  pity,  enjoy, 
and  love,  and,  above  all,  he  knew^  how  to  be  a  friend. 

The  Evening   Telegram. 

FRIENDSHIP  has  been  called  a  miracle, 
a  culture,  and  a  choice.  The  friends  of 
Joseph  Jefferson  brought  to  him  that 
which  he  consciously  or  unconsciously  was  him- 
self, and  perhaps  to  him  was  granted  the  respect 
of  more  distinguished,  able,  and  thinking  men 
than  to  many  others  of  his  time.  Henry  Ward 
Beecher  was  an  ardent  admirer  of  the  man  as 
well  as  the  actor,  and  seldom  lost  an  opportu- 
nity of  seeing  Mr.  Jefferson  during  any  one  of 
his  Brooklyn  engagements. 

Robert  Collyer  in  1868  wrote  a  tribute  to  the 
art  of  Joseph  Jefferson,  in  which  he  said: 
"  Never  do  I  remember  such  nature  in  any 
Christian  pulpit  it  was  ever  my  privilege  to  sit 
under, — so  simple,  so  true,  so  beautiful,  so 
moral." 

Some  years  ago  a  friend,  remarking  upon  his 
popularity  at  a  village  celebration  which  they 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  201 

were  both  attending  near  their  summer  home, 
said  to  him  humorously: 

^^ I  don't  seem  to  be  in  it  at  all,  Joe!  "  and  yet, 
this  friend  was  a  very  popular  man  himself,  be- 
ing, at  that  time,  the  President  of  the  United 
States. 

It  always  pleased  Grover  Cleveland  when 
they  appeared  together  in  public  to  see  the  af- 
fection manifested  towards  his  friend,  for  whom 
his  own  love  was  tender  and  strong,  like  the 
great  man  himself.  Congeniality  of  tastes  in 
many  things  led  to  a  warm  friendship  between 
these  two  men. 

At  his  last  nomination  the  ex-President  had 
invited  Mr.  Jefferson,  his  sons,  Governor  Rus- 
sell of  Massachusetts,  and  some  others  to  hear 
the  returns  read  in  his  home.  Grey  Gables, 
where  the  news  from  the  convention  in  Chicago 
was  being  received  over  a  private  wire. 

Just  before  midnight,  at  a  time  when  the  ex- 
citement seemed  greatest,  ex-President  Cleve- 
land suddenly  sprang  up,  exclaiming,  "There! 
I  do  believe  I  forgot  to  dry  my  fishing  line!  " 
and  hurriedly  left  the  room.  Towards  daylight, 
when  there  remained  no  doubt  as  to  his  nomina- 
tion for  a  second  term,  and  he  had  received  the 
congratulations  of  all  present  save  one,  Mr. 
Cleveland  turned  to  look  for  Mr.  Jefferson.  He 


202     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

was  standing  before  the  great  landscape  win- 
dow (a  feature  of  the  new  dining-room  which 
had  been  added  to  the  old  building),  his  hands 
folded  behind  his  back,  gazing  intently  upon  the 
reflection  of  the  rising  sun  flushing  every  cloud 
with  colour  and  repeated  in  the  waters  of  Buz- 
zards Bay;  forgetful  of  all  save  that  beautiful 
picture.  Mr.  Cleveland  crossed  the  room  to 
where  he  stood  and  spoke  to  him.  "Joe,  aren't 
you  going  to  congratulate  me?"  Mr.  Jefferson 
started,  turned  to  him,  and  grasping  his  hand 
warmly,  said,  "  Oh,  I  do — believe  me,  I  do!  but 
— good  God!"  turning  again  to  the  beautiful 
scene,  his  face  reflecting  its  glow — "  if  I  could 
paint  like  that'' — his  hand  sweeping  the  hori- 
zon— "  you  could  be  Emperor  of  the  world  and 
I  wouldn't  exchange  places  with  you ! " 

A  neighbour  of  Mr.  Jefferson,  one  day  driv- 
ing along  a  country  road  between  Sandwich 
and  the  little  town  of  Bourne,  near  Buzzards 
Bay,  came  upon  two  disconsolate  fishermen 
standing  in  the  roadside  near  a  stone  wall,  with 
their  rods  in  their  hands.  The  smaller  of  the 
two  men  appeared  to  be  angry,  his  companion 
quietly  amused.  The  gentleman  driving  was 
hailed  by  the  angry  man: 

"  Say,  Benedict,  who  owns  this  land?"  point- 
ing with  his  rod  to  the  other  side  of  the  stone 


By  courWsy  ,.f  C.  M.  Hell,  Washington 


<^9:^^^  ^^      w^L^^£_^. 


^-^^> 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  203 

wall.  He  was  told  the  name  of  the  owner  and 
asked  what  the  matter  was. 

"  Matter!"  repeated  the  angry  man  in  a  loud 
voice;  ''we've  been  put  off — that's  what's  the 
matter!" 

The  large  frame  of  his  companion  shook  with 
laughter  as  he  disjointed  his  rod  and  replaced 
it  in  the  case. 

"  Did  you  catch  any  fish?"  was  asked. 

"  Fish?  No!  "  was  the  reply.  "  They  wouldn't 
give  us  a  chance!  Why,  it's  worth  a  premium  to 
get  at  that  stream,  the  underbrush  is  so  thick — 
and  then  not  to  be  allowed  to  cast  a  fly! — Who 
owns  the  damn  land  anyhow?"  Again  he  was 
told  the  owner's  name. 

"  I'll  fish  that  stream  if  I  have  to  buy  every 
acre  it  runs  through."  And  he  did.  The  whole 
farm  was  purchased,  and  later  a  dam  was  built, 
forming  a  good-sized  pond,  which  was  stocked 
with  trout  and  black  bass,  and  many  a  fine  day's 
sport  enjoyed  upon  pond  and  stream  by  Joseph 
Jefferson  and  his  friend,  ex-President  Cleve- 
land. 

The  very  man  who  had  so  conscientiously  ful- 
filled his  duty  in  protecting  the  fishing  privi- 
leges was  reinstalled  by  the  new  owner,  rent 
free,  with  a  piece  of  land  fenced  off  for  his  gar- 
den— and  there  he  remained  as  long  as  he  lived. 


204     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

The  sorrow  of  the  ex-President  for  the  loss  of 
his  friend  of  many  years  was  publicly  expressed 
at  the  time  of  Mr.  Jefferson's  death  in  the  fol- 
lowing tribute: 

It  is  difficult  for  me  to  speak  of  Mr.  Jefferson.  He 
was  so  closely  my  friend ;  his  delightful  traits  were  so 
made  manifest  to  me  in  confidential  intimacy,  arid  my  love 
for  him  was  so  great,  that  his  death  causes  me  to  feel  like 
a  mourner  whose  sorrow  should  be  silent. 

All  know  my  friend's  professional  supremacy  and  his 
conscientious  service  in  professional  work ;  many  know  how 
jealously  he  defended  dramatic  art,  and  how  completely  he 
illustrated  the  importance  of  Its  cleanliness;  many  knew 
how  free  he  was  from  hatred,  malice  and  uncharitableness, 
but  fewer  knew  how  harmonious  his  qualities  of  heart,  and 
mind,  and  conscience  blended  in  the  creation  of  an  honest, 
upright,  sincere  and  God-fearing  man. 

I  believe  that  in  death  he  has  reached  a  world  where 
the  mercy  of  God  abounds,  and  I  know  that  in  the  world 
of  men  the  sadness  of  his  loss  will  be  felt  the  most  by  those 
who  knew  him  best. 

In  the  codicil  to  Mr.  Jefferson's  will  appear 
the  following  items : 

"  My  fishing  and  sporting  tackle  to  be  divided 
between  my  five  sons. 

"To  my  friend,  Honourable  Grover  Cleve- 
land, my  best  Kentucky  reel." 

The  history  of  the  famous  German  silver  reel 
has  never  been  given  until  now.    The  reel  was 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  205 

first  the  property  of  Dr.  Preston  Brown  Scott, 
of  Louisville,  Kentucky,  a  man  well  known  and 
well  beloved  in  the  whole  community.  Dr. 
Scott  was  descended  from  old  Kentucky  and 
Virginia  families,  and  was  one  of  the  most  promi- 
nent physicians  in  the  South.  He  was  an  ardent 
admirer  of  both  Mr.  Jefferson  and  Mr.  Cleve- 
land. The  reel  was  bequeathed  by  Dr.  Scott  to 
his  son,  Rumsey  Wing  Scott,  of  Washington, 
D.  C,  who  married  the  eldest  daughter  of 
Thomas  Jefferson.  It  was  made  by  Meek  of 
Kentucky,  and  was  especially  designed  for  tar- 
pon, and  with  it  Dr.  Scott  caught  one  of  these 
magnificent  fish  in  Florida,  weighing  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  pounds. 

When  Mr.  Jefferson  played  his  last  engage- 
ment in  Washington,  Mr.  Scott  presented  the 
reel  to  him  in  his  dressing-room  at  the  New 
National  Theatre,  between  the  acts  of  Rip. 
When  Mr.  Jefferson  saw  the  reel,  he  took  it 
from  Mr.  Scott's  hand,  saying,  "Young  man, 
what  right  have  you  to  such  a  magnificent  fish- 
ing reel?  Where  did  you  get  it?"  When  its 
possession  and  its  history  was  explained,  and 
after  the  actor  had  examined  it  carefully,  and 
listened  to  its  singing  click,  his  face  beamed,  and 
he  humorously  said: 

"I'll  send  you  the  first  whale  I  catch  *m*t 


2o6     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

der  north  pole.'  Thank  you,  Rumsey — there  is 
nothing  in  the  world  I  would  rather  have,  and  I 
shall  always  prize  it  most  highly." 

When  Mr.  Cleveland  received  the  reel  after 
Mr.  Jefferson  had  passed  away,  he  wrote  the 
foUow^ing  letter  to  Mr.  Charles  Jefferson: 

Princeton,  June  15,  1905. 
Dear  Charley: 

I  received  a  day  or  two  ago  the  Kentucky  reel,  which 
under  the  will  of  your  father  you  sent  to  me. 

I  hope  I  need  not  say  how  much  I  value  this  possession, 
made  sacred  by  delightful  companionship  and  tender  memo- 
ries. Nothing  could  be  given  me  from  your  father's  estate 
that  would  have  been  so  near  to  the  association  in  which  I 
most  love  to  recall  him. 

What  you  say  of  the  closeness  of  the  relations  between 
your  father  and  you,  I  have  abundant  reason  for  knowing, 
and  it  must  be  a  delight  to  you  to  be  able  to  remember 
nothing  but  the  pleasant  things  in  those  relations. 

Please  give  my  love  to  Mrs.  Jefferson,  in  which  Mrs. 
Cleveland  joins,  and  believe  me, 

Yours  faithfully, 

Grover  Cleveland 
C.  B.  Jefferson,  Esq., 
Buzzards  Bay. 

Two  years  before  Mr.  Cleveland  died,  the 
writer,  at  the  request  of  her  son-in-law,  Mr. 
Scott,  wrote  to  the  ex-President,  requesting  that 


^^:-2^^--  /^//^^- 


'^-  yl^^^^  ^*-^/    '^-i^--'^  ^>^^--  ^"^^  ^^^^^ 

-^  y^^      J^  ftl^     y^r^     J'^A       2^  >^- 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  207 

if  ever  the  fishing  reel  bequeathed  him  by  his 
friend,  left  his  family,  it  might  come  back 
to  the  Scott  family,  for  her  grandson,  Thomas 
Preston  Scott.  To  this  request  Mr.  Cleveland 
sent  the  following  reply: 

Tamworth,  N.  H., 
Aug.  26th,  1906. 
My  Dear  Mrs.  Jefferson: 

I  have  received  your  letter  of  the  20th  Inst.,  but  I  hardly 
know  vi'hat  to  say  in  reply. 

Of  course  I  intend  to  keep  the  reel  Mr.  Jefferson  gave 
me,  as  long  as  I  live.  It  is  obviously  impossible  for  me 
now  to  determine  how  it  should  be  disposed  of  after  my 
death.  Many  things  may  transpire  before  that  time,  that 
will  naturally  have  an  important  bearing  on  that  ques- 
tion. 

I  do  not  suppose  you  expect  me  to  commit  myself 
absolutely  at  this  time.  I  am  wilh'ng  to  say,  however, 
that  in  no  event  will  the  request  made  in  your  letter,  that 
the  reel  shall  pass  to  your  daughter,  Mrs.  Scott,  be  over- 
looked. 

Please  give  my  love  to  Tom  and  the  girls,  and  believe 
me. 

Yours  very  lovingly, 
Grover  Cleveland- 
Mrs.  Thomas  Jefferson, 
Buzzards  Bay,  Mass. 

Appreciating  how  Mrs.  Cleveland  might  feel 
about   parting  with    the    cherished   possession, 


2o8     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

having  sons  of  her  own,  I  wrote  to  the  wife  of 
the  ex-President  after  his  death  begging  her  to 
keep  the  reel  if  she  had  any  feeling  whatever 
about  parting  with  it.  To  this  I  received  the 
following  reply: 

Westland, 

Princeton,  New  Jersey. 
Dear  Mrs.  Jefferson: 

I  am  long  about  the  Kentucky  reel,  but  I  find  it  very- 
hard  to  promise  it  away  from  my  boys. 

I  feel  sure  that  Mr.  Jefferson  expected  they  would 
have  it.  You  have  been  so  good  as  to  beg  me  not  to 
consider  it  if  I  have  any  hesitation.  Your  grandson  will 
have  many  mementoes  of  Mr.  Jefferson.  I  think  Mr.  Cleve- 
land's agreement  to  you  was  that  it  should  go  back  to 
your  family  if  it  left  ours.  I  am  willing  to  abide  by 
that  as  far  as  is  In  my  power. 

With  best  wishes, 

Very  sincerely, 
Frances  F.  Cleveland. 
12  Dec,  '08. 

Mrs.  Thos.  Jefferson. 

Between  Miss  Helen  Keller  and  Joseph  Jef- 
ferson there  existed  a  mutual  admiration  which 
was  both  touching  and  unique. 

One  day  when  Miss  Keller  was  his  guest  at 
dinner,  he  had  placed  a  water-lily  upon  her 
plate,  to  hear  what  she  would  say.  When  her 
hand  touched  the  lily,  she  raised  it  to  her  face, 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  209 

inhaling  its  delicate  fragrance  and  exclaiming: 
"  Beautiful  child  of  the  water!" 

After  dinner,  when  we  had  driven  her  to  the 
station  and  while  waiting  for  the  train,  her 
teacher  and  friend,  Miss  Sullivan,  placing  Miss 
Keller's  hand  upon  her  lips,  said,  "  Helen,  there 
is  a  horse  going  by  and  its  head  is  covered 
with  leaves.  What  do  you  suppose  that  is 
for?" 

Miss  Keller  immediately  answered:  "Why, 
to  keep  the  flies  off,  of  course! "  And  she  could 
neither  see  nor  hear,  and  at  one  time  could  not 
articulate! 

When  I  wrote  to  Miss  Keller  of  my  intention 
to  preserve  what  I  could  of  the  memories  of 
Mr.  Jefferson,  and  asked  her  for  a  word  express- 
ing her  remembrance  of  him,  I  received  the  fol- 
lowing letter  from  her: 

My  Dear  Mrs.  Jefferson: 

I  thank  you  for  knowing  that  I  should  be  glad  to  have 
an  opportunity  to  express  my  affection  for  Mr.  Jefferson. 
The  lapse  of  time  does  not  make  him  grow  less  dear  to 
me.  He  was  indeed  a  great  actor,  and  I  was  proud  to 
know  his  greatness  directly.  I  should  have  had  much 
to  remember  with  delight  if  the  play  had  been  only  spelled 
out  in  my  hand  as  he  acted  it.  But  I  possess  also  the  mem- 
ory of  a  happy  visit  when  I  followed  his  movements  and 
attitudes,  and  touched  his  face  as  he  acted  a  part  from  Rip 
Van  Winkle  or  The  Rivals. 


2IO     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

My  dearest  recollections  of  Mr.  Jefferson  are  those  of 
a  good  friend,  a  man  with  a  great  lovable  soul.  I  love 
to  think  of  his  unfailing  kindness  to  every  one,  his  en- 
thusiasm, the  courage  with  which  he  renounced  when  it 
was  necessary  and  was  not  embittered.  I  remember  the 
day  that  I  saw  him  at  a  meeting  in  New  York.  He  said 
he  felt  deeply  interested  in  the  good  cause  which  had  called 
forth  the  meeting.  I  was  sad  because  he  could  not  hear 
any  of  the  speeches,  while  my  teacher  could  tell  me  every- 
thing. There  he  sat  near  me  serene  and  happy,  with  a  joke 
or  a  good  story  or  a  word  of  sympathy  ready  for  any  one 
who  spoke  with  him. 

I  hope  it  will  not  be  long  before  his  biography  Is  pub- 
lished.    I  want  to  know  more  about  his  noble  life. 

Thanking  you  for  your  pleasant  words,  I  am, 

Sincerely  yours, 

(Signed)    Helen  Keller. 
Wrentham,  Massachusetts, 
November  third. 

Mr.  Jefiferson  was  so  delighted  with  Miss 
Keller's  book,  "  The  Optimist,"  that  he  sent 
many  copies  of  it  to  his  friends,  saying  that 
everybody  should  read  it.  "  It  is  classic,"  he 
would  exclaim  with  enthusiasm.  *'  Had  it  been 
written  by  one  of  our  standard  authors,  it  would 
inspire  the  world  to  do  likewise— not  to  write 
a  book — but  to  be  likewise.  Such  joyousness! 
and  from  one  who  to  the  mortal  sense  is 
in  darkness!"  and  his  eyes  would  fill  with  tears. 
He  would  read  extracts  from  the  book  to  his 


Gilbert  Studio,  PhilsJtlphia 

HELEN  KELLER  AND  JOSEPH  JEFFERSON 

"IF  YOU  WERE  DEAF  AND  BLIND,  AND  COULD  HOLD  MR.  JEFFERSOn's 
HAND,  YOU  WOULD  SEE  IN  IT  A  FACE  AND  HEAR  A  KIND  VOICE  UN- 
LIKE  ANY   OTHER    YOU    HAVE    KNOWN." 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  211 

family   and    frequently   quote   from    it   to   his 
friends. 

Mr.  Jefferson  sent  a  copy  of  "  The  Optimist" 
to  his  friend,  Mr.  Richard  Watson  Gilder,  who 
was  resting  a  few  weeks  at  West  Palm  Beach. 
The  gift  was  acknowledged  by  a  short  poem,  en- 
titled "Two  Optimists": 

To  send  fit  thanks,  I  would  I  had  the  art, 
For  this  small  book  that  holds  a  mighty  heart, 
Enshrining,   as  it   does,   brave   Helen's  creed. 
In  thought,  in  word,  in  many  a  loving  deed, — 

If  seeing,  in  fine,  this  world  as  through  a  prism 

Of   lovely   colours   is   true   optimism. 

Then  Joseph   is  true  optimist   no  less. 

And  heaven  sent  both,  this  troubled  world  to  bless. 

I  was  with  Mr.  Jefferson  when  the  letter  con- 
taining the  poem  was  handed  to  him  and  read 
by  him.  He  shook  his  head,  saying,  "No — no, 
he  is  mistaken,  I  am  not  an  optimist.  I  too 
often  let  things  sadden  me." 

I  told  him  that  this  was  common  to  all,  as  op- 
timism did  not  mean  infallibility,  and  that  I 
agreed  with  Mr.  Gilder.  This  seemed  to  please 
him — he  was  so  childlike  in  his  nature  that  it 
took  very  little  to  please  him. 

Miss  Keller  used  to  say  that  she  never  felt 
the  real  charm  of  Joseph  Jefferson  until  she  had 


2  12     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

been  to  see  (?)  him  play  Rip,  of  which  she 
said:  "The  pathos  and  beauty  were  most  de- 
lightful." 

She  went  to  his  dressing-room  immediately 
after  the  play,  and  passed  her  hands  over  the  old 
tatters  of  the  actor's  costume.  She  ran  her  fingers 
through  the  long  white  hair  of  his  wig  and 
beard  and  touched  his  face;  she  said  she  wanted 
"  to  feel "  how  he  looked  after  sleeping  for 
twenty  years. 

"  He  gave  his  coat  a  hitch,  and  in  an  instant 
I  was  in  the  village  of  Falling  Waters  and 
Schneider  was  rubbing  his  shaggy  head 
against  my  knee." 

Mr.  Jefiferson  once  acted  the  letter  scene  from 
The  Rivals  for  Miss  Keller's  benefit.  "  I 
followed  all  the  drollery  of  his  blunders  in  a 
way  that  would  have  been  otherwise  impos- 
sible," she  wrote  to  a  friend,  "  and  felt  the 
waverings  of  poor  Bob  until  his  courage  '  oozed 
out  at  his  finger  ends.' " 

The  mutual  friend,  Miss  Caroline  Derby,  of 
Boston,  who  introduced  Mr.  Jefiferson  to  Miss 
Helen  Keller,  has  sent  me  an  account  of  their 
first  meeting.  She  writes:  "  Thank  you  so  much 
for  letting  me  have  a  share  in  this  work.  I 
could  never  forget  the  past,  it  grows  dearer  to 
me  every  year. 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  213 

"  I  well  remember  Helen  Keller's  meeting 
with  Mr.  Jefferson.  I  had  the  pleasure  of  in- 
troducing them.  It  happened  in  this  way:  My 
aunt  and  I  were  spending  the  summer  at  a  hotel 
near  the  Jeffersons  at  Buzzards  Bay,  and  Mr. 
Jefferson  had  often  expressed  a  wish  to  know 
Helen.  So  we  invited  Helen  and  her  teacher, 
Miss  Sullivan  (now  Mrs.  John  Macy),  to  spend 
a  night  with  us,  and  in  the  evening,  after  tea, 
we  strolled  up  to  *  Crow's  Nest.'  Mr.  Jeffer- 
son met  us  on  the  lawn,  and  I  remember  I  said 
to  my  aunt  and  Miss  Sullivan,  'Now,  you  two 
keep  away!  I  want  to  have  the  pleasure  of  in- 
troducing these  two  dear  people  to  each  other! ' 
So  I  put  Helen's  hand  in  Mr,  Jefferson's  and 
with  the  manual  alphabet  spelled  in  the  other 
hand,  *  This  is  Mr.  Jefferson.'  She  looked  up 
with  her  bright  smile,  and  said  very  distinctly, 
in  her  modulated  voice,  *  How  do  you  do,  Mr. 
Rip  Van  Winkle!'  I  remember  how  amused 
and  pleased  dear  Mr.  Jefferson  was.  We  then 
went  into  the  house,  where  he  showed  her  many 
things,  among  others  a  small  statue  of  Rip, 
which  she  felt  of  with  much  delight.  This  was 
the  beginning  of  a  long  friendship  between 
them.  Helen  wrote  once:  *  If  you  were  deaf 
and  blind,  and  could  hold  Mr.  Jefferson's  hand, 
you  would  see  in  it  a  face  and  hear  a  kind  voice 


214     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

unlike  any  other  you  have  known.'  He,  on  his 
part,  seemed  to  regard  her  with  a  mixture  of 
awe  and  reverence.  He  felt  that  she,  through 
her  very  restrictions,  was  more  clearly  enabled 
to  come  in  touch  with  the  unseen  world  around 
us,  and  that  she  might  sometime  reveal  to  us 
many  of  its  secrets. 

"The  last  time  I  saw  dear  Mr.  Jefiferson  my- 
self, was  when  he  came  around  to  my  house  one 
evening  in  Boston,  to  thank  me  for  the  little 
book  on  'Optimism'  which  I  had  sent  him.  I 
told  him  I  knew  he  would  enjoy  it,  and  I  re- 
member how  he  held  my  hand  and  said  witli 
almost  awe  in  his  voice, '  Oh,  my  child,  it's  won- 
derful!' I  am  glad  to  think  that  I  should  have 
been  the  one  to  have  the  pleasure  and  the  privi- 
lege of  introducing  these  two  kindred  spirits, 
and  it  will  always  be  one  of  the  happiest  memo- 
ries of  my  life. 

"  I  have  never  forgotten  another  little  inci- 
dent of  Mr.  Jeflferson,  the  substance  of  which  he 
afterward  embodied  in  his  exquisite  little  poem 
on  '  Immortality.'  One  day  when  we  were  vis- 
iting at  '  Crow's  Nest,'  one  of  his  sons,  then  a 
small  boy,  came  running  in,  in  great  excitement, 
wanting  us  all  to  come  and  see  a  wonderful 
chrysalis  that  one  of  his  caterpillars  had  made. 
It  was  a  beautiful  thing,  the  shape  and  colour 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  215 

of  a  robin's  egg,  with  a  delicate  gold  beading 
around  the  top.  I  remember  Mr.  Jefferson's 
looking  at  it,  and  then  showing  us  the  pictures 
of  the  ugly  worm  that  made  it,  and  the  beautiful 
butterfly  it  would  afterwards  become.    He  said : 

" '  Imagine  that  atheist  caterpillar  going 
along  some  morning  and  meeting  another  cater- 
pillar, and  the  other  caterpillar  says  to  him, 
"  Friend,  is  there  any  other  life  after  this  one?  " 
"No,"  says  our  first  caterpillar,  ''this  is  all." 
Just  think,'  said  Mr.  Jefferson,  'neither  of 
them  realises  the  wonderful  creature  it  is  to 
become  some  day!'  Of  course,  I  cannot  recall 
the  words  verbatim,  but  the  spirit  of  the  words 
was  what  made  such  a  deep  impression. 

"Dear  Mr.  Jefferson!  I  think  if  I  were 
asked  to  characterise  in  one  word  what  his  life 
meant  to  me,  I  should  say,  Reverence.  He  rev- 
erenced everything  that  the  hand  of  God  made. 
One  always  felt  that  to  him  every  spot  was  holy 
ground.  His  trustful,  loving  nature  could  tol- 
erate no  sense  of  fear  in  the  universe.  The  old 
crude  ideas  of  a  jealous  God  were  utterly  alien 
to  him.  I  remember  once,  when  he  was  speak- 
ing of  how  such  ideas  outraged  the  sense  of  the 
divine  relationship  between  the  eternal  Father 
and  His  child,  what  a  beautiful  tribute  one  of 
his  sons  unconsciously  paid  him  when  he  said, 


2i6     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

*You   never  taught  us    to   be   afraid   of  you, 
father.' 

"  His  whole  nature  was  love  through  and 
through — the  love  '  that  thinketh  no  evil ' — and 
the  memory  of  it  is  like  a  benediction,  to  one 

Who  cherishes  his  friendship 
As  a  treasure  laid  up  in  heaven. 

^'  Edwin  Booth  and  Joseph  Jefiferson! — what 
memories  these  names  will  ever  revive!  The 
great  actor  of  tragedy  and  the  actor  of  comedy 
had  known  each  other  in  boyhood.  There  had 
always  existed  between  them  a  close  friendship. 
Mr.  Jefferson  had  played  under  Mr.  Booth's 
management,  and  Mr.  Booth  had  chosen  his  first 
wife  out  of  the  Jef^ferson  family,  of  which  she 
was  an  adopted  member. 

"  During  one  of  his  visits  at  '  Crow's  Nest/ 
the  home  of  his  friend,  Mr.  Booth,  in  speaking 
of  his  own  life,  said  there  seemed  to  be  so  little 
in  it  compared  with  the  activity  of  Mr.  Jeffer- 
son's life,  in  which  there  were  so  few  idle  mo- 
ments. When  not  painting  in  his  studio,  he  was 
planting  in  his  garden — when  not  reading  in  his 
library  he  was  personally  attending  to  his  large 
mail,  spending  an  hour  or  two  at  his  desk  every 
day. 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  217 

"Mr.  Booth  would  sit  for  hours  at  a  time  on 
the  porch,  smoking  and  dreamily  enjoying  the 
beautiful  view  across  the  waters  of  the  little  bay. 
He  loved  to  think,  but  confessed  he  was  not  a 
great  reader.  I  have  heard  Mr.  Jefferson  say 
that  Mr.  Booth's  recitation  of  the  Lord's  Prayer 
was  the  most  beautiful  thing  he  had  ever  heard. 
One  day  he  remarked  to  Mr.  Booth  that  he 
wondered  at  his  lack  of  familiarity  with  the 
great  authors — Dickens  especially — whom  he 
dearly  loved.  Mr.  Booth  said  that  of  course 
he  had  read  'Dickens,  but  that  he  was  not  fa- 
miliar with  him.  That  evening  Mr.  Jefferson 
read  to  us  a  scene  from  '  Pickwick,'  and  how 
Mr.  Booth  enjoyed  it! — read  as  it  was  in  an  in- 
imitable way,  bringing  out  all  the  humour  and 
the  quaintness  of  the  characters.  He  was  not 
so  successful,  however,  in  the  pathos — it  was  al- 
ways too  real  to  him;  his  voice  would  grow 
husky,  and  his  eyes  fill  with  tears.  I  have  seen 
him  break  down  utterly  in  trying  to  read  Hood's 
^  Song  of  the  Shirt,'  and  closing  the  book,  leave 
the  room." 

During  his  last  visit  to  his  old  friend,  Mr. 
Booth  was  not  in  good  health.  It  was  in  the 
autumn,  and  as  the  two  walked  one  day  on  the 
shore  of  Buttermilk  Bay,  Mr.  Booth  spoke  with 
a  strange  and  pathetic  kind  of  poetry  of  the  fall- 


2i8     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

ing  leaves,  the  dying  grass,  and  the  ebbing  tide, 
likening  these  to  his  own  failing  health. 

Two  years  after,  on  the  night  of  December 
31st,  1893,  which  was  "Founder's  Night"  at 
the  Players'  Club,  Mr.  Booth  having  passed 
away,  Mr.  Jefferson,  the  president,  delivered 
an  eloquent  address,  recalling  the  memory  of 
the  founder  of  the  club  in  simple  and  touching 
words.  He  concluded  with  Mr.  Booth's  proph- 
ecy of  his  passing  one  year  before  at  that  hour — 
"  They  drink  to  my  health  to-night,  Joe — when 
they  meet  again  it  will  be  to  my  memory." 

Mr.  Laurence  Hutton  in  his  "  Recollections  " 
speaks  of  this  occasion:  "Mr.  Jefferson's  beauti- 
ful and  touching  tribute  to  Booth  was  one  of 
the  tenderest  orations  of  its  kind  ever  deliv- 
ered, and  came  so  deep  from  his  heart  that  its 
utterance — perfect  as  it  was  in  every  respect — 
was  a  tremendous  ordeal  to  him.  He  feared  the 
unusual  audience  who  had  met  in  the  Players' 
that  night,  the  first  gathering  of  this  kind  after 
the  founder's  death.  He  felt  the  importance 
and  the  significance  of  the  occasion,  to  himself 
and  to  his  hearers,  and  never  will  those  who 
heard  him  forget  what  he  there  said,  nor  how  he 
said  it.    .    .    . 

"  The  clock  struck  the  midnight  hour  as  he 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  219 

raised  the  loving-cup  to  his  lips,  saying  sol- 
emnly: '  Let  us  drink  to  his  memory  now.' 

"  How  many  a  throat  was  choked  at  the 
draught  I  need  not  say — nor  how  little  he  was 
able  to  swallow  himself." 

Under  the  date  of  August,  1887,  there  appears 
upon  the  logbook  in  the  cabin  of  the  steam  yacht 
Oneida — the  beautiful  vessel  owned  by  Mr.  E. 
C.  Benedict — the  names  of  the  men  conspicuous 
in  the  formation  of  this  famous  club. 

Mr.  Benedict  has  kindly  given  me  permission 
to  relate  his  own  story  of  the  birth  of  the 
Players'. 

"In  August,  1887,  r  invited  Edwin  Booth, 
Lawrence  Barrett,  Thomas  Bailey  Aldrich, 
Laurence  Hutton,  and  William  Bispham  to  ac- 
company me  on  the  Oneida  on  a  trip  to  Labra- 
dor. Prior  to  that  time,  and  subsequent  to  Mr. 
Booth's  recovery  of  his  fortune,  he  had  ex- 
pressed to  us  individually  a  desire  to  do  some- 
thing for  his  profession  which  should  not  be 
almsgiving,  but  yet  be  helpful.  After  speaking 
to  us  on  the  subject,  the  matter  was  dropped  un- 
til the  occasion  of  this  trip.  By  a  singular  coin- 
cidence we  were  fog-bound  at  Booth's  Bay,  on 
the  coast  of  Maine,  for  three  or  four  days,  when 
Mr.  Booth  called  us  together  on  the  quarter- 


220    INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

deck,  and  after  alluding  to  the  conversation  he 
had  had  on  his  proposed  charity,  said  that  he 
wished  the  matter  finally  disposed  of,  one  way 
or  the  other;  either  dropped  entirely,  or  a  plan 
formed  to  put  his  ideas  in  operation. 

"There  was  much  discussion  as  to  the  form 
which  it  should  take.  He  expressed  a  dread  of 
having  an  actors'  home,  where  superannuated  or 
crippled  actors  to  a  limited  number  would  oc- 
cupy the  premises  for  long  periods  of  time,  to 
the  exclusion  of  others  even  more  worthy  of  the 
charity.  When  asked  to  designate  what  he  con- 
ceived to  be  the  chief  need  of  actors,  managers, 
and  others  connected  with  the  profession,  he  re- 
plied in  substance  that  it  was  a  proper  place 
where  actors  and  managers  could  talk  over  and 
make  contracts,  instead  of  meeting  in  the  public 
streets,  saloons,  or  dusty  offices  of  managers,  as 
was  the  custom.  Hence,  it  was  decided  that  a 
club  would  answer  the  purpose;  but  as  actors 
and  managers  were  apt  to  be  poor  financiers, 
and  his  proposed  gift  might  be  squandered,  it 
was  suggested  that  the  Board  of  Managers 
should  consist  of  good  business  men  from  in 
front  of  the  footlights.    This  was  done. 

"  It  was  suggested  that  the  club  should  be 
called  the  Booth  Club,  in  his  honour,  but  he  ab- 
solutely declined  to  permit  it.    Finally,  Mr.  AI- 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  221 

drich  suggested  'The  Players','  which  name  was 
unanimously  adopted." 

Upon  Mr.  Booth's  return  to  New  York  in  the 
autumn  a  number  of  his  friends  were  taken  into 
his  confidence,  Augustin  Daly  and  A.  M.  Pal- 
mer among  the  managers,  and  Mr.  Jefferson, 
"Billy"  Florence,  "Jimmy"  Lewis,  and  John 
Drew  among  the  actors,  and  the  club  was  in- 
corporated. 

On  the  first  Founder's  Night,  the  31st  of  De- 
cember, 1888,  Mr.  Booth  transferred  the  entire 
building,  No.  16  Gramercy  Park,  to  the  Asso- 
ciation— "  a  munificent  gift,  absolutely  without 
parallel  in  its  way" — with  the  following  ad- 
dress: 

"Gentlemen:  Although  our  vocations  are 
various,  I  greet  you  all  as  brother  Players.  At 
this  supreme  moment  of  my  life,  it  is  my  happy 
privilege  to  assume  the  character  of  host,  to 
welcome  you  to  the  house  wherein  I  hope  that 
we  for  many  years,  and  our  legitimate  success- 
ors for  at  least  a  thousand  generations,  may  as- 
semble for  friendly  intercourse  and  intellectual 
recreation.  Especially  for  the  worthy  ones  of 
my  profession  am  I  desirous  that  this  associa- 
tion shall  be  the  means  of  bringing  them,  re- 
gardless of  their  theatrical  rank,  in  communion 
with  those  who,  ignorant  of  their  personal  qual- 


222     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

ities  hidden  by  the  mask  and  motley  of  our 
calling,  know  them  as  actors  only.  Frequent 
intercourse  with  gentlemen  of  other  arts  and 
professions,  who  love  the  stage  and  appreciate 
the  value  of  the  drama  as  an  aid  to  intellectual 
culture,  must  inspire  the  humblest  player  with  a 
reverence  for  his  vocation  as  one  among  the 
first  of  '  fine  arts ' — which  too  many  regard  as 
merely  a  means  to  the  gratification  of  vanity 
and  selfishness.     Such  is  the  object  of  this  club. 

"  For  many  years  I  have  cherished  the  hope 
that  I  might  be  able  to  do  something  for  my 
profession  of  a  more  lasting  good  than  mere 
almsgiving,  but  could  not  determine  what 
course  to  pursue.  Our  several  benevolent  insti- 
tutions for  the  relief  of  poor  and  disabled  actors 
(foremost  among  them  the  noble  Forrest 
Home) ,  great  as  their  good  work  is,  do  not  af- 
ford the  social  advantages  so  necessary  for  what 
is  termed  '  the  elevation  of  the  stage.' 

"Not  until  after  many  conversations  with 
numerous  friends  of  the  theatre  on  this  subject, 
and  while  discussing  it  with  Messrs.  Barrett, 
Daly,  and  Palmer  (a  club  of  this  character  be- 
ing suggested  as  the  best  means  to  the  good  end) , 
did  I  resolve  to  act,  to  do  my  utmost  in  further- 
ance of  the  scheme  proposed.  This  is  the  first 
step  toward  the  accomplishment  o^  our  pur- 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  223 

pose.  To  our  treasurer,  Mr.  William  Bispham, 
we  owe  the  wise  selection  of  our  house,  to  Mr. 
Stanford  White  its  admirable  reconstruction 
and  embellishment,  while  to  the  poet  Aldrich 
we  are  indebted  for  the  choice  of  our  appro- 
priate and  comprehensive  title,  the  world  being 
but  a  stage  where  every  man  must  *  play  his 
part.'  Mine  just  now,  as  the  New  Year  dawns, 
is  a  very  happy  one,  since  it  permits  me  to  pre- 
sent to  you  by  the  hands  of  our  vice-president, 
Mr.  Daly,  your  title  deeds  to  this  property. 

"  Having  done  so,  I  am  no  longer  your  host, — 
I  resign  the  role  with  profound  thanks  for  your 
prompt  and  generous  co-operation  in  a  cause  so 
dear  to  me,  so  worthy  of  all  well-wishers  of  the 
theatre  and  of  the  player  who  '  struts  and  frets 
his  hour  upon  the  stage.' " 

After  Mr.  Augustin  Daly,  on  behalf  of  the 
Players',  had  received  the  deeds  of  the  property 
and  made  an  appropriate  speech,  followed  by 
the  reading  of  Mr.  Thomas  Parsons'  poem  writ- 
ten for  the  occasion,  read  by  Mr.  Lawrence  Bar- 
rett, Mr.  Booth  continued  his  speech  by  saying: 

"Though  somewhat  past  the  season,  let  us 
now  fire  the  Yule-log,  sent  from  Boston  by  my 
daughter,  with  the  request  that  it  be  burnt  as 
her  offering  of  '  love,  peace,  and  good-will  to 
the  Players'.'   While  it  burns,  let  us  drink  from 


224     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

this  loving-cup,  bequeathed  by  William  War- 
ren of  loved  and  honoured  memory  to  our  no  less 
valued  Jefiferson,  and  by  him  presented  to  us — 
from  this  cup  and  this  souvenir  of  long  ago, 
my  father's  flagon,  let  us  now,  beneath  his  por- 
trait, and  on  the  anniversaries  of  this  occupation, 
drink  'To  the  Players'  Perpetual  Prosperity!'" 

The  club  became  Mr.  Booth's  home.  Next 
to  his  family,  it  claimed  his  greatest  interest  and 
gave  him  his  greatest  pleasure.  It  stands  as  his 
monument.  It  will  always  be  remembered  by 
those  present  on  that  sad  night  in  June,  that 
as  he  passed  away  every  light  in  the  club 
suddenly  went  out  at  the  same  time  its  founder 
died. 

Mr.  Jefiferson  was  elected  to  succeed  Edwin 
Booth  as  president  of  the  Players',  December 
30,  1893.  He  held  the  office  for  twelve  years, 
being  re-elected  at  every  succeeding  annual 
meeting.  His  portrait,  by  Sargent,  hung  upon 
the  wall  of  the  club-house,  a  gift  from  Edwin 
Booth,  who  commissioned  the  artist  to  paint  the 
picture  especially  for  the  club. 

Mr.  Jefferson  presided  at  the  Booth  me- 
morial meeting,  November  13th,  1893,  ^^  the 
Madison  Square  Concert  Hall  in  New  York, 
commemorating  Edwin  Booth's  sixtieth  birth- 
day, upon  which  occasion  he  delivered  an  affec- 


ri.i.i..  hv  J.  Nutii 


EDWIN   BOOTH 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  225 

tionate  eulogy  of  the  founder  of  the  club,  intro- 
ducing the  speakers  of  that  occasion,  Mr.  Parke 
Goodwin,  Thomas  Salvini,  and  the  poet,  George 
E.  Woodbury. 

Although  not  always  present  with  the  mem- 
bers of  the  club  on  Founder's  Night,  the  presi- 
dent, either  by  letter  or  telegram,  expressed  his 
sympathy  and  interest  with  the  occasion.  A 
wire  from  Palm  Beach,  December  31st,  1899, 
read: 

To  My  Brother  Players: 

I  join  with  you  in  this,  the  departing  hour  of  the  old 
century,  in  keeping  green  the  memory  of  our  beloved 
founder,  Edwin  Booth,  and  I  wish  you  all  a  happy  New 
Year. 

Joseph  Jefferson, 

In  1903,  the  president  composed  a  poem  of 
greeting  to  the  club,  which  was  read  by  Mr. 
William  Bispham: 

NEW    YEAR'S    GREETING 

TO    THE 

PLAYERS'   CLUB 

BY    JOSEPH    JEFFERSON 

All  hail!     brother  players,  I  greet  you  to-night 
On  the  eve  of  another  New  Year. 

May  your  spirits  be  cheerful,  convivial,  bright, 
May  your  smiles  chase   away  every  tear. 


2  26       INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

A  motley  community  meets  in  this  place. 
We've   doctors  and   lawyers   and   artists   galore. 

The  Jew  and  the  Gentile  come  here  to  embrace; 
The  priest  and  the  player  both  knock  at  our  door. 

The  brokers  and  authors  and  publishers,  too, 
In  this  liberal  hall  hold  their  sway. 

And  I  hope,  to  complete  our  various  crew, 
That  we'll  catch  a  pure  Mormon  some  day. 

Perhaps  we've  some  Mormons  amongst  us  to-night, 
For  I  noticed  on  last  "  Ladies'  Day," 

The  Receiving  Committee  were  more  than  polite — 
Tho',   of  course,   who  they  were   I   won't  say. 

I  hope  you're  all  sober,  tho*  this  much  I  doubt, 
If  experience  serves  me  aright. 

My  dear  brother  actors  I  fear  are  laid  out. 
And  I  know  that  the  artists  are  "  tight." 

Forgive  the  suspicion,  sweet  friends  of  the  brush. 
From   an  amateur  in  your  own  line. 

But,  you  know,  when  the  champagne  abounds  how  we 
rush 
To  tickle  our  palates  with  wine. 

And  now,  just  a  word  to  my  comrades  in  Art; 
Old  Time's  rolling  on  very  fast;  Jc 

And,  I  think,  just  before  we're  about  to  depart, 
We  should  take  a  review  of  the  past. 

f 

When   the   comedy   ends 
And   the  curtain   descends 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  227 

On  the  drama  of  life,  my  dear  Brother, 

Howe'er   they   may   fix   it 
Let's  make  a  good  exit 

From  this  world,  straight  into  the  other. 

And  on  the  last  day,  when  we  leave  those  we  love, 
And  depart  in  a  solemn  procession, 

I  hope  that  we'll  play  star  engagements  above, 
For  I'm  sure  they  admit  the  profession. 

As  for  me,  when  I  knock  at  the  gate  (with  some  fear) 
I  know  that  St.  Peter  will  say: 

"  Walk  in,  young  comedian,  and  act  with  us  here, 
But,  for  Heaven's  sake,  get  a  new  play." 

And    now,    friends,    Good    Night!    (or    Good    Morning, 
I  fear). 
Proceed  with  your  innocent  joys. 

In  closing  I  wish  you  a  happy  New  Year! 
"  May  you  live  long  and  prosper,"  dear  boys. 

Mr.  Edward  Valentine,  the  sculptor,  writing 
of  his  friendship  (of  many  years'  standing)  with 
Mr.  Jefferson,  says: 

"  When  on  a  visit  to  Baltimore  several  years 
ago,  my  wife  and  I  were  invited  by  Mr.  Jeffer- 
son to  go  with  him  to  Washington  to  see  an  ex- 
hibition of  his  pictures.  We  did  so.  On  arriv- 
ing in  Washington,  there  were  a  number  of  cabs 
in  waiting  for  the  party.  '  Go,  by  all  means,  to 
see  the  veteran  actor,'  said  he  laughingly,  in 
jest  of  what  had  been  said  of  him.    Mr.  Jeffer- 


228     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

son,  my  wife,  and  I  headed  the  procession,  and 
on  the  drive  to  the  art  store,  he  said:  *  Ah,  I 
hope  the  public  will  not  think  this  is  my 
funeral.' 

"On  this  trip,  Mr.  Getz  accompanied  the 
party,  and  in  speaking  of  this  well-known  scene 
painter,  Mr.  Jefferson  whispered  in  my  ear, 
*  Sea  of  Ice,' — having  reference  to  this  spectac- 
ular piece,  the  scenery  of  which  Mr.  Getz  after- 
ward  told  me  he  had  painted  twenty-three  times. 
In  our  party  was  also  Mrs.  German,  of  Bal- 
timore. 

"Another  time  Mr.  Jefferson  wrote  me  to 
come  to  Washington  to  see  a  second  exhibition 
of  his  pictures.  I  telegraphed  him  that  I  would 
if  he  would  return  and  dine  with  me  in  Rich- 
mond on  his  way  South.  He  did  so,  and  after 
dinner  we  walked  to  the  Jefferson  Hotel,  where 
he  looked  at  my  statue  of  Thomas  Jefferson.  He 
thought  it  so  much  like  his  father. 

(This  likeness  between  the  actor  and  the 
President,  Thomas  Jefferson,  was  often  re- 
marked upon.  Dr.  S.  Weir  Mitchell  speaks 
of  it  in  his  book,  "  The  Red  City,"  saying,  "  The 
face  ...  of  Jefferson,  resembled  to  a  strange 
degree  the  great  actor  of  his  name,  a  resemblance 
only  to  be  explained  by  some  common  English 
ancestry  in  an  untraceable  past") 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  229 

"When  Mr.  Jefferson  visited  Richmond  to 
act,  I  was  always  on  the  stage  during  the  per- 
formances. He  was  so  thoughtful  in  telling  me 
what  position  to  take  so  that  I  could  get  the  best 
effect  of  the  scene.  During  one  performance  of 
Rip  Van  Winkle  a  very  amusing  incident  oc- 
curred. I  was  standing  in  the  '  wings'  watching 
the  scene  where  Rip  returns  to  the  village, 
when,  to  my  surprise,  he  threw  his  voice  in  my 
direction  and  spoke  in  a  tone  so  audible  that 
any  one  twice  the  distance  from  where  I  was 
standing  could  have  heard  him,  '  Give  Mr. 
Valentine  a  seat.'  When  the  curtain  came  down, 
his  son,  who  was  playing  the  part  of  the  sailor, 
said  to  his  father:  '  You  came  near  breaking  me 
up !  I  thought  you  said  I  looked  like  a  Valen- 
tine.' 

"  I  once  asked  Mr.  Jefferson  what  he  did 
with  his  pictures.  '  I  give  them  to  my  enemies,' 
he  replied.  He  promised  to  paint  one  for  me, 
but  as  far  as  I  know,  he  never  did.  My  only 
consolation  is  that  he  did  not  count  me  among 
them. 

"  After  the  performance  my  wife  and  I  would 
take  supper  with  him  on  his  private  car.  It  is 
known  that  when  he  was  in  the  stock  company 
at  the  old  'Marshall  Theatre'  in  Richmond  he 
lost  a  child  with  scarlet  fever.    It  may  be  inter- 


230     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

esting  to  learn  that  during  his  engagements  in 
Richmond  before  the  war,  say  in  1857,  he 
boarded  at  the  old  Swan  Tavern,  at  the  corner 
of  Ninth  and  Broad  streets — a  portion  of  which 
building  is  now  standing.  It  was  in  this  house 
that  his  child  died.  The  performance  on  the 
night  of  my  friend's  loss  was  As  You  Like  It, 
and  he  was  playing  the  part  of  Touchstone, 
when  a  messenger  came  to  the  theatre  and  in- 
formed him  that  his  child  was  dying.  John 
Jack,  I  am  quite  certain  it  was,  took  his  part" 

Mr.  Sam  Phillips  tells  of  the  loss  of  another 
son  in  London,  in  1876,  Mr.  Phillips  being  at 
the  Princess  Theatre  on  the  evening  the  child 
died: 

"  I  shall  never  forget  that  night.  No  one  ap- 
preciated his  sorrow  as  I  did — his  struggle  to  be 
merry  while  his  heart  ached;  and  when  he  ap- 
pealed to  Meenie  to  try  to  remember  her  father, 
exclaiming, '  My  little  child,  look  in  my  face  and 
don't  know  who  I  am!'  he  seemed  about  to 
break  down  utterly.  I  am  sure  that  the  line 
was  never  before  given  with  such  real  feeling." 

As  a  rule  the  children  of  the  stage  look  with 
awe  upon  a  great  actor,  but  they  had  no  fear 
of  Mr.  Jefferson — he  was  Rip  to  them — their 
o>vn  special  friend,  whom  they  knew  and  loved. 
It  was  considered  a  great  honour  to  be  carried 


Copyright  liy  Falk 


MR.  JEFFERSON'S   GRANDSON  WARREN 

IN   THE    "  RIP  "    HAT 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  231 

upon  his  back  in  the  scene  where  Rip  makes  his 
first  appearance  in  the  village  of  Falling 
Waters,  even  by  his  own  grandchildren  and 
great-grandchildren.  He  had  fourteen  grand- 
children and  two  great-grandchildren. 

Rip  Van  Winkle  was  being  played  in  Wash- 
ington one  year  during  the  holiday  season,  and 
when  the  green  baize  curtain  descended,  the 
children  all  started  for  their  dressing-rooms  as 
usual,  only  perhaps  with  a  little  more  haste,  as 
it  was  Christmas  Eve.  The  stage  manager 
stepped  from  the  wings  where  he  had  been 
standing. 

"  One  moment,  please,"  he  said,  arresting 
those  about  to  leave  the  stage,  "you  are  all  re- 
quested to  go  to  your  dressing-rooms,  but  not  to 
leave  them  until  you  are  called." 

When  the  children  and  the  actors,  with  all 
the  employees  about  the  theatre,  supers  and  "  ex- 
tra ladies,"  returned  to  the  stage  they  found  the 
curtain  raised,  the  orchestra  in  their  places,  and 
the  big  fireplace  used  in  the  second  act  of 
Rip  occupying  the  centre  of  the  stage — the 
same  one  that  little  Hendrik  had  but  a  short  time 
before  peered  into  for  fear  some  stray  member 
of  Hudson's  pirate  crew  might  be  listening  to 
the  story  he  was  telling  little  Meenie  Van  Win- 
kle.    But  now  the  chimney  was  transformed; 


232     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

stockings  of  all  sizes  and  colours  hung  from  its 
great  hood,  each  one  bearing  the  name  of  the 
person  for  whom  it  was  intended,  and  overflow- 
ing with  mysterious  packages  and  "  goodies.-' 

In  the  centre  of  the  stage  stood  two  large 
hampers  containing  a  present  for  everybody  in 
or  about  the  theatre — not  one  had  been  forgot- 
ten, from  the  leading  man  down  to  old  Aunt 
Jane,  the  "  coloured  lady  "  who  scrubbed  out  the 
theatre.  When  asked  to  hang  up  her  stock- 
ing, Jane  said,  "  Chile  alive!  if  it's  Mr.  Jeff'son 
that's  a  doin'  of  it,  a  stocking  won't  be  big 
enough,"  so  she  hung  up  an  empty  potato  sack. 

At  a  given  cue,  the  orchestra  started  up,  sleigh 
bells  jingled,  and  down  the  great  chimney  came 
Santa  Glaus.  A  loud  cheer  greeted  him,  to 
which  he  responded  in  a  voice  which  was  con- 
sidered a  clever  disguise,  but  the  little  girl  who 
played  Meenie  recognised  it,  and,  as  Santa  Glaus 
declared,  "  gave  him  away." 

"Why,"  she  laughed,  clapping  her  little 
hands,  "why,  it's  Mr.  Jefferson!" 

A  big  doll  was  placed  in  her  arms  and  she 
was  forgiven.  Then  followed  the  distribution 
of  presents,  while  the  orchestra  played  "  Should 
Auld  Acquaintance  be  Forgot,"  and  everybody 
took  up  the  refrain,  until  the  walls  of  the  old 
playhouse  rang  with  its  sweetness. 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  233 

It  was  too  much  for  Mr.  W.  W.  Rapley,  man- 
ager and  proprietor  of  the  old  National  Thea- 
tre, who  had  been  "  taking  in  "  the  whole  per- 
formance from  his  box  in  the  darkened  audi- 
torium. He  stepped  upon  the  stage  and  grasped 
Mr.  Jefferson  by  the  hand. 

"  It's  the  best  part  you  ever  played,  Joe," 
he  said,  his  eyes  filling  with  tears. 

"  I  don't  know  about  that,"  laughed  Santa 
Claus,  wiping  something  suspiciously  like  a  big 
tear  from  the  end  of  his  own  nose,  "  but  I  do 
know  that  I  never  played  a  part  which  gave  me 
so  much  pleasure — that  is,  genuine  pleasure." 

Mr.  Rapley's  contribution  to  the  entertain- 
ment was  then  brought  in,  and  when  every  hand 
was  raised  with  its  glass  of  egg-nog,  Mr.  Jeffer- 
son, looking  ruefully  at  his  glass,  said : 

"But  you  know,  Bill,  I've  sworn  off!" 

"Just  this  one,  Joe." 

"  Well — '  I  won't  count  this  one.'  Here's 
your  good  health,  and  your  family's,  and  may 
they  all  live  long  and  prosper." 

A  hearty  burst  of  applause  followed  the  fa- 
miliar line  from  the  dear  old  play,  and  the  chil- 
dren in  a  body  made  a  rush  to  hug  Santa  Claus. 
Shielding  himself  behind  Mr.  Rapley,  he  cried: 

"  Save  me!  I  claim  protection  from  this  dan- 
gerous rabble!" 


234     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

Turning  to  the  orchestra,  he  gave  them  the 
signal,  and  "  Home,  Sweet  Home,"  was  played, 
until  all  had  left  the  theatre,  and  it  was  silent 
and  dark  with  the  exception  of  the  solitary  light 
in  the  lantern  of  the  night  watchman,  going  his 
rounds  to  see  that  all  was  well.  The  light  re- 
flected a  smile  upon  the  old  man's  face  which 
was  eloquent,  for  it  told  that  he  had  not  been 
forgotten,  and  that  all  was  well  with  him. 

The  desire  to  meet  the  actor  was  so  great 
among  his  admirers  that  they  would  frequently 
write  to  him  asking  that  privilege.  I  have  the 
permission  of  one  woman  to  give  the  experience 
of  herself  and  her  sister  in  January,  1895: 

"At  one  time  when  Mr.  Jefferson  was  enjoy- 
ing a  lay-ofif  in  Washington,  on  his  way  to  his 
winter  home  in  Palm  Beach,  a  woman  who  was 
unknown  to  him  wrote  and  asked  him  to  receive 
her  and  her  sister.  By  return  mail  came  a  cour- 
teous response  appointing  the  day  and  hour, 
and  the  two — although  the  day  was  an  abomin- 
able one  of  slush  and  rain — were  at  the  hotel  on 
time  and  sent  up  their  cards.  The  messenger 
came  back  to  announce  that  Mr.  Jefferson  was 
resting  and  could  not  be  disturbed.  The  sisters 
tramped  0^  in  the  storm,  disappointed,  but  ab- 
solutely certain  that  a  mistake  had  been  made. 
The  personality  projected  across  the  footlights 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  235 

was  too  strongly  courteous  and  kind  ever  to  be 
doubted. 

"With  the  early  dusk  the  rain  became  sleet, 
and  the  cold  was  of  the  quality  that  asks  nothing 
but  takes  all.  The  lights  were  burning  in  the 
out-of-the-way  little  house,  when,  at  five  o'clock, 
a  carriage  drove  up  the  steep,  slippery  hill, 
paused,  passed,  returned,  and  quick,  light  foot- 
steps almost  ran  across  the  entrance  porch  to 
the  front  door.  Before  the  steps  reached  the 
door  the  woman  who  had  written  the  note 
crossed  the  room,  saying,  'That  is  Mr.  Jeffer- 
son'— and  there  he  stood,  hat  in  hand,  bowing, 
half  breathlessly,  saying,  '  I  have  come  to  ex- 
plain and  to  apologise.  We  are  leaving  this  even- 
ing for  Florida.  I  could  not  go  away  without 
coming  to  tell  you.  I  was  not  asleep,  I  was 
merely  waiting  until  you  should  be  announced, 
having  given  instructions  below  that  you  should 
be  shown  in  when  you  came.  I  had,  however, 
not  spoken  of  your  call  to  Mrs.  Jefferson,  and 
when  she  saw  me  on  the  couch  she  thought  me 
asleep  and  so  sent  the  message  that  we  both  so 
deeply  regret.'  He  could  not  stay — but  he  did 
stay  for  more  than  half  an  hour,  talking  with 
vivid  interest  of  art  in  its  several  manifestations; 
of  his  lecture,  to  which  he  said  he  wished  the 
two  women  to  come  when  he  next  gave  it;  and 


236     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

exacting  a  promise  that  they  write  to  him  when 
he  should  be  in  Washington  again,  that  he  might 
be  sure  of  the  address,  for  he  wished  to  send 
them  cards,  and,  being  an  old  man,  the  address 
might  escape  him. 

^'  Great  was  his  delight  when  Tilly  Slowboy 
was  proclaimed  an  artist  by  the  two,  who  did 
not  know  she  was  his  sister,  and  proudly  did  he 
announce  the  relationship,  with  the  information 
that  she  was  *  deaf  as  a  post — no,  not  exactly 
that,  but  she  can't  hear  her  cues.'  And  he  was 
radiant  when,  in  reply  to  his  question  regarding 
the  medium  used  in  the  painting  given  by  him 
to  the  Corcoran  Gallery,  it  was  pronounced  oil. 
*No' — throwing  an  arm  over  the  back  of  his 
chair  and  beaming — 'no!  water-colour!' 

"  Then  came  an  account  of  his  experiments 
with  colours  in  the  attempt  to  know  the  secret  of 
the  richness  and  purity  of  the  old-school  tints. 
iYolk  of  egg  had  been  mixed  with  the  colours 
for  the  picture  in  question,  and  gave  it  the  un- 
usual body. 

" '  Before  you  go,  Mr.  Jefferson,  tell  me,  what 
became  of  Schneider?'  said  the  elder  sister. 

" '  Schneider,  my  dog?  did  you  see  Schnei- 
der?' inquired  the  actor. 

"'Why,  yes,  the  first  time  I  saw  you,  when  I 
was  ten  years  old,  but  never  again.     I  thought 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  237 

he  must  have  died  and  you  could  never  use  an- 
other.' 

" '  Well,  now,  that  is  a  most  interesting,  a  most 
remarkable  thing,  illustrating  a  psychological 
phenomenon — you  are  sure  that  you  saw 
Schneider?' 

"  'Why,  yes,  he  was  a  yellow  dog,  not  big,  not 
little — a  rather  large  cur.' 

"'Once  or  twice  before  I  have  been  told  about 
Schneider.     There  was  no  Schneider!' 

"'No  Schneider? — but  I  saw  him!' 

"'Yes,  my  dear  madam,  you  saw  him,  but  he 
was  not  there;  and  it  is  the  greatest  tribute  to 
my  acting.  When  one  can  make  another  see  the 
thing  that  exists  only  in  the  mind  the  acme  is 
reached — it  is  creation!' 

"  In  leaving,  Mr.  Jefferson  dropped  upon  a 
table  near  the  door  two  autograph  cards,  saying, 
'  Everything  is  packed,  including  my  cards,  so 
I  wrote  these  in  case  you  should  not  be  at  home. 
There  is  a  little  blot  on  one,  I  see.  I  hope  you 
won't  mind.  I'll  send  you  a  better  written  one 
if  you  would  prefer.' 

"Give  up  that  blot!  Why,  it's  unique — the 
only  one  upon  the  name  of  Joe  Jefiferson  1 " 


238     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 
CHAPTER  XI 

CHARLES  BURKE  JEFFERSON 

One  who  ever  yet  had  stood  to  charity, 
And  displayed  the  effects  of  disposition  gentle. 

Shakespeare. 

CHARLES  BURKE  JEFFERSON,  the 
eldest  son  of  Joseph  Jefferson,  was  born 
in  Macon,  Georgia,  when  his  father  was 
just  twenty-one  years  of  age.  He  died  in  New 
York,  June  23d,  1908.  From  the  time  he  was 
eleven  years  of  age  he  was  his  father's  constant 
companion,  accompanying  him  to  Australia  and 
London,  and  returning  with  him  to  America  in 
a  sailing  vessel.  He  became  his  father's  man- 
ager, and  after  Joseph  Jefferson's  death,  man- 
aged his  brother,  Thomas  Jefferson. 

Charles  was  once  asked  whether  he  had  ever 
attempted  to  act.  It  is  said  that  he  blushed  with 
pride,  although  he  tried  not  to  appear  self- 
conscious,  and  admitted  that  he  had  more  than 
once  played  the  sailor  in  Rip. 

"  Yes,  I  was  the  sailor,"  he  would  say,  throw- 
ing back  his  shoulders.  "You  didn't  know  I'd 
been  an  actor,  did  you?  Oh,  yes,  and  I  enjoyed 
it,  too." 

The  conversation  had  taken  place  in  the  office 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  239 

of  the  New  National  Theatre  in  Washington, 
and  Mr.  Jefferson,  turning  to  the  manager,  con- 
tinued, "  Harry  Rapley  here  can  tell  you  how 
I  played  the  part,  can't  you,  Harry?  You  saw 
me  play  it,  tell  them  what  you  thought  of  me." 

Mr.  Rapley  hesitated  a  moment,  then  an- 
swered with  managerial  diplomacy:  "  I  am  glad 
to  say,  Charlie,  that  I  have  never  since  seen  the 
part  played    in  the  way  you  played  it." 

An  embarrassed  silence  followed,  and  Mr. 
Charles  Jefferson  retired  to  the  cloister  of  the 
box  office. 

Charles  began  his  career  as  a  dwarf  in  Rip. 
He  remained  in  different  companies  for  five 
years,  and  was,  at  one  time,  the  juvenile  man  of 
Mrs.  John  Drew's  stock  company  in  Philadel- 
phia. He  would  recall  with  a  shudder  how  in 
one  month  he  played  sixty-nine  different  parts. 

In  speaking  of  his  career  and  of  his  long  and 
close  association  with  his  father,  Charles  would 
say:  "At  the  time  of  my  birth  my  father  was 
playing  a  week's  engagement  in  Macon, 
Georgia.  He  went  from  there  to  Savannah, 
leaving  my  mother  behind  with  me,  until  we 
should  be  able  to  travel.  Later  we  joined  him, 
and  r,  true  to  the  family  tradition,  made  my 
debut  upon  the  stage  early.  My  mother  played 
Mrs.  Peter  White  to  the  Peter  White  of  my 
father  in  that  play  of  old  renown ;  they  had  to 


240    INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

use  a  baby  in  the  play,  and  not  having  a  suitable 
*  property'  infant,  my  father  suggested  they  in- 
augurate me;  and  they  did. 

"  I  am  compelled,  however,  to  admit  that  I 
w^as  not  a  success;  in  fact,  I  spoiled  the  play  by 
w^ailing  at  the  wrong  time.  I  was  a  failure,  and 
in  Augusta,  where  we  played  later,  I  repeated 
the  failure.  Notwithstanding  that  fact,  I  was 
with  my  father  constantly  up  to  the  time  of  his 
death. 

"  I  went  with  him  to  Australia,  Van  Diemen's 
Land,  South  America,  and  England.  There 
was  hardly  a  day  that  I  was  not  with  him, 
so  that  I  am  familiar  with  every  detail  of  his 
life. 

"  My  father  was  absent  from  America  dur- 
ing the  war  between  the  States,  and  concerning 
his  absence  at  that  time,  many  stories  have  been 
given  to  the  public.  The  correct  story  has  never 
been  put  in  type  excepting  as  told  in  his  Auto- 
biography, which  I  confirm.  Father's  sympa- 
thies were  with  the  South,  but  his  judgment  was 
against  the  war." 

Speaking  of  that  time,  Joseph  Jefiferson  would 
say  with  a  droll  expression  of  his  mouth: 

"  I  loved  my  country  so  much,  I  could  not 
bear  to  see  her  suffer — some  were  kind  enough 
to  say  that  I  ran  away." 


Photo  by  Morceau 


CHARLES   BURKE  JEFFERSON 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  241 

Henry  Watterson  once  wrote  on  this  point: 

"  Early  in  1861  Mr.  Jefferson  came  to  me  and 
said :  *  There  is  going  to  be  a  war.  I  am  neither 
a  Northerner  nor  a  Southerner.  I  cannot  bring 
myself  to  engage  in  bloodshed  or  to  take  sides. 
I  have  near  and  dear  ones  North  and  South.  I 
am  going  away  and  I  shall  stay  away  until  the 
storm  blows  over.  It  may  seem  unpatriotic,  and 
it  is,  I  know,  unheroic.  I  am  not  a  hero.  I  am, 
I  hope,  an  artist.  My  world  is  the  world  of  art, 
and  I  must  be  true  to  that;  it  is  my  patriotism, 
my  religion.  I  can  do  no  manner  of  good  here, 
and  1  am  going  away.' 

"At  that  moment  statesmen  were  hopefully 
estimating  the  chances  of  a  peaceful  adjustment 
of  the  sectional  controversy.  With  the  prophet 
instinct  of  the  artist  he  knew  better. 

"Although  at  no  time  taking  an  active  inter- 
est in  politics  or  giving  expression  to  party  bias 
of  any  kind,  his  personal  associations  led  him 
into  a  familiar  knowledge  of  the  trend  of  public 
opinions  and  the  portent  of  public  affairs,  and 
I  can  truly  say  that  during  the  forty  years  that 
passed  thereafter,  I  never  discussed  any  topic 
of  current  interest  or  comment  with  him  that 
he  did  not  throw  upon  it  the  sidelights  of  an  un- 
derstanding large  and  full  and  a  judgment  both 
illuminating  and  impartial." 


242     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

It  was  not  the  war  that  made  the  young  actor 
leave  America.  His  wife  had  just  died  and  he 
was  in  poor  health.  It  was  not  generally  known 
at  the  time,  but  one  of  his  lungs  was  in  very 
bad  shape,  at  least  so  the  physician  told  him 
when  he  sent  him  to  California  in  the  hope  that 
the  climate  might  benefit  him. 

This  was  in  March,  1861,  and,  breaking  up 
his  home  in  New  York  and  leaving  three  of  his 
children  at  school,  he  went  with  his  eldest  son, 
a  boy  of  eleven  years,  to  California. 

Joseph  Jefferson  was  at  that  time  compara- 
tively unknown,  and  he  was  not  a  success  as  an 
actor  in  San  Francisco.  His  own  reason  for  this 
was  that  he  had  been  "  overbilled,  a  mistake 
made  by  his  agent." 

He  did  not  improve  much  in  health  either, 
and  hearing  of  the  delightful  climate  of  Aus- 
tralia, he  decided  to  go  there.  Mr.  Charles 
Jefferson,  in  speaking  of  these  early  days,  gave 
his  personal  recollections  of  them: 

"  We  made  the  voyage  in  a  sailing  vessel,  and 
were  seventy-nine  days  at  sea,  landing  at  Syd- 
ney. 

"  Father's  agent,  Jim  Simmons,  tried  to  ar- 
range a  date  for  him  to  open  at  the  opera  house. 
It  was  owned  by  a  ticket-of-leave  man,  an  ex- 
convict.    He  had  never  heard  of  Joseph  Jefifer- 


I 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  243 

son,  and  there  was  '  nothing  doing.'  Then  my 
father  went  to  the  owner  and  agreed  to  pay  him 
two  thousand  dollars'  rent  for  the  house  for  two 
weeks.  It  was  agreed  upon,  and  father  went  to 
his  agent  and  asked  him  for  the  money. 

"We  had  carried  seven  thousand  dollars  out 
of  San  Francisco,  and  when  father  asked  for  the 
two  thousand  rent  Jim  hesitated  a  moment,  and 
then  confessed  that  he  had  lost  every  dollar  of 
the  money  at  cards  the  night  before  leaving 
'Frisco. 

"  There  was  an  American  who  had  crossed 
on  the  vessel  with  us — a  woman — who,  hearing 
of  my  father's  predicament,  offered  the  loan  of 
all  she  had.  Unfortunately,  it  was  not  enough, 
so  father  pawned  his  watch,  Simmons'  watch, 
and  a  valuable  diamond  ring,  which  had  been 
presented  to  him,  and  so  was  able  to  get  together 
enough  money  to  rent  the  theatre. 

"  We  rehearsed  a  play,  but  there  was  no  suit- 
able scenery.  Father  was,  as  all  know,  an  artist, 
so  he  painted  new  scenery  himself  between  the 
rehearsals. 

"  We  produced  several  plays,  and  at  the  end  of 
the  two  weeks  that  opera-house  owner  wouldn't 
rent  the  house  to  us  any  longer — he  wanted  to 
share.  Cash  was  abundant.  In  fact,  my  father 
had  more  money  at  the  end  of  those  two  weeks 


244     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

than  he  had  ever  seen  before.  In  Melbourne  it 
was  the  same,  and,  in  fact,  after  that,  everywhere 
we  went,  we  just  coined  it. 

"  But  just  to  show  you  my  father's  nerve — at 
Hobarton  was  the  penal  headquarters  of  Aus- 
tralia. It  was  there  the  officials  were  located, 
and  apart  from  these  nearly  every  other  person 
in  the  place  was  an  ex-convict,  or  ticket-of-leave 
man.  Well,  father  secured  the  opera  house 
and  announced  the  play  called  The  Ticket-of- 
Leave  Man.  It  was  a  mad  crowd  Hobarton 
contained  when  they  read  that  announcement. 
They  thought  a  Yankee  actor  was  insulting 
them. 

"  The  house  was  packed.  Every  one  came 
vowing  to  mob  the  player.  But  when  they  saw 
that  Bob  Brierly,  the  innocent  man,  was  con- 
victed, and  saw  him  work  out  the  manifestation 
of  his  innocence,  that  crowd  went  wild.  In- 
stead of  throwing  chairs  and  benches  at  him,  it 
was  coins  and  flowers  that  fell  on  the  stage  all 
about  him. 

"That  play  went  on  until  father  was  worn 
out,  and  it  was  the  greatest  money-maker  we 
had.  Instead  of  mobbing  the  'Yankee  mounte- 
bank,' as  they  called  him  before  seeing  him  in 
the  play,  the  whole  town  stood  ready  to  dance 
attendance  upon  him  at  all  times. 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON 

IN   THE   EARLY   SIXTIES 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  245 

"That  was  ia  '65.  Father  was  getting 
homesick.  His  health  had  mended,  and  he  was 
practically  a  well  man  again.  The  ocean  wasn't 
dotted  with  steamers,  as  it  is  to-day,  and  when  we 
started  for  home  we  found  it  necessary  to  take 
a  guano  boat  for  Peru,  hoping  to  catch  some- 
thing there  to  take  us  to  the  United  States.  We 
were  disappointed,  but  we  played  a  number  of 
weeks  in  South  America  to  good  business. 

"  When  we  left  Australia  the  war  was  still 
going  on  in  America,  and  we  were  anxious  to 
hear  some  news  about  it.  A  rowboat  with  calk- 
ers  came  out  to  meet  our  sailing  vessel,  and  upon 
it  was  a  man  who  recognised  my  father.  The 
instant  he  saw  him  he  yelled  out,  'Well,  I'll 
be  d — d  if  there  ain't  Joe  Jefiferson!  Why, 
Joe,  where  in  the  h — 1  did  you  come  from?' 

"  Father  asked  him  the  news  about  the  war, 
but  the  man  wanted  to  know  all  about  father 
and  where  he  had  been,  and  it  was  some  time 
before  he  could  be  persuaded  to  tell  us  what  we 
were  so  anxious  to  learn.    At  last  he  said: 

"'The  war  is  over.  Richmond  has  fallen 
and  Lee  has  surrendered.' 

"  I  was  standing  close  beside  my  father,  and 
I  heard  him  sigh  heavily. 

"  '  And  Lincoln  has  been  assassinated! '  yelled 
the  man  in  the  boat. 


246     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

"'What  a  pity  I  Oh,  what  a  great  pityl' 
said  my  father. 

" '  Wilkes  Booth  shot  him  in  the  Ford  Thea- 
tre in  Washington.' 

"  My  father  tottered,  and  I  believe  he  would 
have  fallen  had  not  the  captain  and  I  caught 
him.  He  was  as  white  as  a  sheet,  and  for  a 
moment  he  trembled.  He  and  Wilkes  Booth 
had  been  friends;  they  had  played  together, 
and  the  mutual  attachment  had  been  a  strong 
one. 

"  Presently  father  recovered,  and,  turning  to 
me,  said: 

" '  My  God,  that's  awful  I  What  could  Booth 
have  been  thinking  of?  He  must  have  been 
crazy.     Son,  take  me  to  my  room.' 

"  I  cannot  recall  the  time  I  saw  my  dear 
father  so  moved.  He  remained  depressed  for 
days,  and  for  days  he  was  as  taciturn  as  I  ever 
saw  him.  He  seemed  unable  to  drive  away  the 
impression  made  upon  him  by  the  dreadful 
news.  In  fact,  he  did  not  succeed  in  doing  so 
until  we  had  reached  London. 

"Wilkes  Booth  was  a  remarkable  man — he 
was,  in  fact,  a  genius,  whose  dramatic  powers 
were  little  less  than  marvellous.  He  was  an  un- 
usually handsome  man,  his  eyes  being  the  most 
striking  feature  of  his  face,  which  they  at  times 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  247 

seemed  to  illuminate  with  their  fire.  He  in- 
herited the  eccentricities  of  his  father,  Junius 
Brutus  Booth,  the  elder,  who  suffered  periodic 
departures  from  the  normal. 

"  Father  used  to  say  that  when  at  its  best,  the 
art  of  Wilkes  Booth  was  like  a  divine  flash,  an 
inspiration — that  wonderful  gift  of  nature  by 
which  we  are  qualified  to  receive  and  com- 
municate with  authority. 

"  Booth  was  introduced  to  the  public  as  a  star 
in  1862,  at  Wallack's  Theatre.  His  brother  Ed- 
win was  appearing  elsewhere,  and  Wilkes  took 
the  Southern  circuit,  where  he  met  with  great 
success. 

"  Hamlet,  as  played  by  John  Wilkes  Booth, 
was  in  keeping  with  his  own  erratic  nature,  and 
his  interpretation  was  fiery  and  artistic,  which 
affected  and  thrilled  his  audience. 

"  Edwin  Booth  in  the  same  part  gave  a  more 
reflective  study  to  his  conception  of  the  charac- 
ter, but  fully  as  convincing,  his  conception  of 
the  Mad  Prince  being  that  of  an  unbalanced 
genius. 

"  Wilkes  was  a  charming  fellow  off  the  stage. 
A  man  of  wit  and  magnetic  manner,  he  could 
hold  a  group  by  the  very  force  of  his  eloquence 
and  personal  charm.  He  seldom  spoke  of  the 
affairs  of  the  nation — whatever  opinions  he  held 


248     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

were  carefully  concealed.  Only  once  did  I 
hear  of  his  losing  control  of  himself,  and  that 
was  at  a  chance  remark  made  by  John  S.  Clarke, 
the  actor,  about  Jefif.  Davis: 

"'Never,'  he  said,  springing  up  in  a  fury, 
'never,  if  you  value  your  life,  speak  in 
that  way  of  a  man  and  a  cause  I  hold 
sacred!' 

"  From  South  America  we  came  to  Jamaica 
to  catch  the  Evening  Star,  a  vessel  from  New 
York,  but  fortunately  we  arrived  in  port  after 
that  vessel  had  sailed.  We  were  booked  for 
passage  on  her. 

"Two  days  out  the  Evening  Star^  with  every 
living  soul  on  board,  went  down. 

"That  was  a  narrow  escape.  Missing  that 
boat  gave  the  American  people  Rip  Van 
Winkle. 

"  We  found  a  vessel  going  to  Southampton, 
and,  rather  than  wait  for  a  ship  going  to  Amer- 
ica, father  decided  to  go  to  England,  pass  a  few 
days  in  London,  and  then  cross  the  Atlantic  for 
home. 

"  Soon  after  our  arrival  In  London  father  was 
asked  to  present  Rip  Van  Winkle.  It  was 
then  I  learned  for  the  first  time  that  father  had 
it  in  mind  that  his  old  play  might  be  im- 
proved upon,  for  he  declined  to  present  it  ia 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  249 

the  shape  he  had  been  appearing  in  it.  He  said 
that  if  he  could  get  the  great  playwright,  Dion 
Boucicault,  to  rewrite  the  play  for  him  he  would 
produce  it  in  London.  Boucicault  agreed  to 
this,  and  after  the  terms  had  been  talked  over 
he  went  to  work. 

"  It  is  amusing  to  recall  that  Boucicault  did 
not  like  the  play,  and  would  often  stop  working 
upon  it  to  tell  father  that  it  would  be  a  failure. 
But  father  kept  saying:  '  Go  on  with  the  play. 
I'm  willing  to  risk  it' 

"  After  the  work  was  done,  my  father  asked : 

"  '  Will  you  accept  a  royalty  or  cash? '    . 

"Mr.  Boucicault  replied: 

" '  Cash  for  me,  for  it  will  not  go.  They'll 
never  stand  for  a  man  sleeping  twenty  years!' 

"Think  what  the  royalties  would  have 
amounted  to  had  he  decided  to  be  paid  for  his 
work  in  that  way!  His  heirs  would  still  be  re- 
ceiving an  income  from  the  play. 

"When  Rip  was  finally  put  on,  my  father's 
name  did  not  appear  in  big  letters.  There  was 
no  star  part  for  him  on  the  programme,  and  he 
was  not  even  '  featured.'  The  play  was  adver- 
tised as  the  work  of  Dion  Boucicault,  whose 
name  alone  was  enough  to  draw  a  large  house. 

"  In  this  new  version  of  the  play,  Rip  had 
been  created  just  as  my  father  wanted  him. 


250     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

Gretchen  did  not  die,  as  in  the  old  version,  and 
the  dog's  name  was  changed  from  Spider  to 
Schneider,  and  he  was  given  a  more  prominent 
place. 

"  Father  seemed  to  melt  right  into  the  charac- 
ter, and  before  the  play  was  over  people  were 
asking:  'Who  is  this  man?  Where  did  he  come 
from?' 

"After  that  first  performance  in  London  it 
was  Joe  Jefferson's  Rip  Van  Winkle — not 
Boucicault's. 

"After  witnessing  Mr.  Jefferson's  work  in 
the  play,  several  nights  after  its  first  perform- 
ance (which  the  author  could  not  be  persuaded 
to  attend)  he  said  to  the  actor: 

" '  Joe,  I  think  you  are  shooting  over  their 
heads.' 

" '  I  am  not  even  shooting  at  their  heads,'  was 
the  reply.    '  I  am  aiming  at  their  hearts.' 

"The  play  had  a  long  and  successful  run  in 
London  and  various  cities  on  the  other  side,  and 
when  we  returned  to  America  it  created  a 
furore. 

"  It  has  been  presented  more  than  ten  thou- 
sand times." 

The  career  of  Charles  B.  Jefferson  as  an  ex- 
pert and  enterprising  manager  w^as,  with  one 
exception,  most  successful.  He  established  the 


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BF>v*?  '^^^1 

^^^^^^^^H^'  '^W  ^H 

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E^"-^  '/c^^^i 

JOSEPH   JEFFERSON    AT    THE    ADELPHI  THEATRE,   LONDON,   IN   1865 

IN    THE    ORIGINAL   BOUCICAULT    DRAMATIZATION    OF    RIP   VAN    WINKLE 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  251 

firm  of  Jefferson,  Klaw  &  Erlanger,  but  sev- 
ered his  connection  with  the  firm  that  he  might 
give  his  full  time  and  attention  to  his  father, 
but  not  before  he  had  brought  into  popularity 
many  spectacular  features  of  the  stage,  among 
them  being  the  "  tank  drama,"  with  its  huge 
tank  of  real  water  as  used  in  The  Dark  Secret 
and  The  Shadows  of  a  Great  City,  the  latter 
play  being  his  father's  own  plot  and  construc- 
tion, though  the  actual  work  was  done  by  Mr. 
Lemuel  Shewell. 

It  was  characteristic  of  Charles  Jefferson  to 
do  things  on  a  large  scale.  In  his  family  he 
went  by  the  name  of "  Colonel  Sellers."  He  con- 
ceived the  idea  of  having  the  "real  thing"  in 
his  production  of  The  Country  Circus — the 
sawdust  ring,  horses,  acrobats,  etc.  Before  the 
play  was  produced,  his  father,  who  had  attended 
the  dress  rehearsal,  wrote  him  the  following 
letter; 

The  Continental, 

Philadelphia^ 
Monday  morning. 
My  Dear  Charlie: 

I    (on  reflection)   congratulate  you  on  your  really  great 

production.     The  night  rehearsal  was  the  most  successful 

and  trying  I  have  ever  seen.     You  need  no  puffing  of  any 

kind.    Your  play  will  tell  its  own  tale  over  the  footlights. 

After  the   ring  master    (so  well   done)    speaks  his  first 


252     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

speech  in  the  ring, — as  he  turns  his  back,  the  old  man 
should  recognise  him — "  that's  the  man  that  stole  my 
daughter," — he  (the  Dr.)  and  the  old  woman  should  rush 
into  the  ring  and  be  restrained  by  the  police  or  ring  men 
and  forced  back  into  their  seats;  this  will  connect  the  play 
with  the  ring — so  important. 

I  don't  think  that  the  dog  should  come  on  till  the  per- 
formance in  the  house — he  rather  interrupts,  than  assists 
the  scene.  If  he  is  kept  back  till  the  boy  calls  him  from 
the  barn  for  the  performance,  he  will  be  fresh  and  in  the 
picture.     Avoid  waits  and  your  success  is  certain. 

Send  me  a  telegram  to  Bridgeport  and  to  27  Madison 
avenue. 

Father. 

Charles  Jefferson's  one  great  failure  was  with 
an  "all-star"  vaudeville  company,  concerning 
which  his  father  gave  him  the  following  ad- 
vice: 

McVicker's  Theatre, 
Friday. 
My  Dear  Charley: 

Tom  gave  me  the  unpleasant  intelligence  of  your  bad 
business.  To  be  candid  with  you,  it  did  not  surprise  me. 
I  have  been  expecting  it,  and  perhaps  it  is  better  that  you 
should  strike  a  rock  now,  when  you  are  comparatively  near 
shore,  than  to  meet  one  when  you  are  too  far  away  to  get 

home.      The   engagement   of   was   positively 

bad  judgment.  All  actors,  or  their  agents,  who  need  pe- 
cuniary advances  bear  suspicious  marks  on  the  very  face 
of  such  demands.     She  has  never  been  a  commercial  sue- 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  253 

cess  and  never  will  be.  Her  agent  has  no  judgment  and  is 
only  in  possession  of  that  kind  of  cunning  ^hat  can  make 
someone  pay  the  piper  whilst  he  dances.  "Disaster"  is 
written  in  his  face. 

Now  for  the  "  Circus  " ;  my  experience  teaches  me  that 
all  entertainments  that  appeal  to  the  eye  (however  suc- 
cessful they  may  be  at  the  start  when  people  are  talking 
about  them)  do  not  last  long.  They  do  not  bear  reflec- 
tion, and  are  bad  repeaters.  Wherever  the  ("Country") 
"  Circus  "  has  not  been  done,  you  are  sure  of  good  business 
— but  beware  of  "  returns."  I  write  these  matters  as  I 
know  they  can  do  no  harm  and  may  be  of  service.  I  will 
write  you  again  in  a  few  days,  perhaps  to-morrow. 

Your  loving  Father, 

J.  Jefferson. 

One  of  Charles  Jefferson's  big  schemes  was 
the  all-star  cast  of  The  Rivals.  In  this  his 
father  took  a  great  interest,  suggesting  the  artists 
for  the  various  parts:  Mrs.  John  Drew,  Julia 
Marlowe,  Fanny  Rice,  Nat  Goodwin,  William 
H.  Crane,  Francis  Wilson,  Robert  Taber,  and 
the  Holland  brothers,  Ned  and  Joe.  It  was 
suggested  that  Miss  Olga  Nethersole  be  en- 
gaged for  the  part  of  Lydia,  in  regard  to  which 
Mr.  Jefferson  writes: 

Parker  House, 
Boston. 
Dear  Charly: 

The  cast  if  it  can  be  had  would  of  course  be  strong. 


254     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

I  will  see  Miss  Nethersole,  but  I  understand  that  she 
goes  to  England  in  about  7  weeks. 

I  don't  think  Nat  Goodwin  will  like  to  play  Sir  Lucius. 
You  do  not  say  anything  about  Mrs.  Drew,  but  I  take 
it  for  granted  that  she  will  play. 

Yours   in   haste, 
J.  Jefferson. 

Instead  of  Miss  Nethersole,  Miss  Julia  Mar- 
lowe was  engaged  for  the  part  of  Lydia,  and 
this  fine  company  established  a  precedent,  and 
the  greatest  care  was  given  to  the  selection  of 
the  people  for  the  next  season,  as  will  be  seen 
in  the  following  letter  written  from  Philadel- 
phia: 

Sunday. 
My  Dear  Charlie: 

I   am  glad  that  Lackaye  is  engaged.     This  will  make 
our  cast  very  strong.     The  names  of  Lackaye,  Otis  Skin- 
ner as  support  with  Elsie  Leslie  as  Lydia,  will  make  a  stir 
in  the  theatrical  circle  and  with  the  public 
I  hope  you  will  get  Miss  Paget. 

Your  loving  father, 

J.  Jefferson. 

From  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  he  wrote : 

Tuesday,  April  5th,  '98. 
My  Dear  Charlie: 

I  cannot  but  think  that  Mrs.  Wood  is  offended  at  our 
offer,  or  we  should  have  heard  from  her  before. 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  255 

Otis  Skinner  is  beyond  question  the  best  one  you  can 
get  for  the  Captain. 

Our  house  last  night — $1,340 — was  fine,  when  you  take 
into  consideration  that  it  is  Passion  Week — Francis  Wilson 
and  the  Bostonians  against  us — and  a  war  scare  to  boot. 

With   love, 
Father. 

And  again  from  Pass  Christian,  Miss.,  he 
stated  his  objections  to  a  certain  actress: 

Feb.  27th,  '96. 
My  Dear  Charley: 

I  got  your  telegram  to-day  and  replied  to  it  at  once. 
I  don't  like  the  lady  you  mention  for  our  company.     Her 
reputation  is  nationally  bad — and  she  drinks. 

Of  course  it  will  be  better  to  have  a  star  for  Lucy  if  we 
could  get  one,  but  our  forces  are  so  strong  that  any  neat, 
pretty  little  actress  will  do. 

The  reputation  of  our  company  in  the  eyes  of  first-class 
audiences  who  will  pay  high  for  their  entertainment  is  of 
great  consequence.    .     .     . 

I  have  just  finished  what  I  consider  by  long  odds  to 
be  my  best  picture. 

The  weather  here  is  fine  but  no  good  fishing  as  yet. 

Your  loving  father, 
J.  Jefferson. 

Under  the  date  of  September  19th,  1893,  from 
Buzzards  Bay  he  acknowledged  the  receipt  of 
the  old-fashioned  pistols  and  the  hat  he  was  to 
use  in  The  Rivals. 


256     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

My  Dear  Charley: 

The  pistols  and  the  hat  came  all  right.  Tom  has  your 
letter  this  morning  and  he  goes  to  Boston  to-morrow  to 
arrange  the  R.   R.  matters. 

I  got  your  telegram  relating  to  Miss  Paget  to-night. 
Simply  say  to  Miss  P.  that  our  company  meet  for  rehearsal 
at  the  Boston  Theatre  on  Monday,  the  26th,  at  12  a.  m., 
and  that  I  will  arrange  with  her  before  we  begin  our  regu- 
lar ones — which  will  commence  on  Tuesday. 

All  well  and  join  in  love.  Your  affectionate 

Father. 

After  attending  rehearsal,  Mr.  Jefferson  ad- 
dressed the  following  letter  to  his  son: 

TOURAINE, 

Sept.  27th. 
My  Dear  Charly: 

I  have  just  come  from  rehearsal — three  hours  of  it — 
and  return  at  3  for  two  hours  more.  Everything  is  going 
finely — I  find  the  company  most  obliging  and  willing  to 
listen  to  my  suggestions,  and  I  take  care  not  to  make  any 
till  I  see  a  good  reason.  Miss  Ffolliott  T.  Paget  and  Sir 
Anthony,  and  Skinner,  will  be  excellent.  Miss  Leslie  some- 
what amateurish,  but  she  will  look  young  and  lovely  and 
will  be  all  that  is  required. 

Lackaye  rehearsed  with  me  this  morning,  and  he  seems 
quite  amiable,  and  will  be  superfine  in  the  part.  It  will 
be,  as  I  predicted,  a  far  better  Sir  Lucius  than  New  York 
has  ever  seen,  not  excepting  John  Brougham. 

Don't  fail  to  hurry  up  Miss  Leslie's  new  dress. 

All  is  going  as  well  as  could  be  wished. 

With  love, 
J.  Jefferson. 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON   AND   HIS   SON  CHARLES   BURKE  JEFFERSON 

PALM    BEACH,    FLORIDA 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  257 

While  resting  at  Palm  Beach,  as  was  his  cus- 
tom, during  the  latter  part  of  the  winter  season, 
Mr.  Jefferson  invited  Charles  and  his  brothers 
to  visit  him,  informing  them  of  the  kind  of 
wardrobe  they  would  be  likely  to  need. 

Palm  Beach,  Fla., 

March  8th,  '99. 
My  Dear  Charly: 

The  fishing  here  Is  not  good,  just  now,  as  the  fine 
weather  has  sent  the  fish  into  deep  water.  You  ought  to 
have  a  Tuxedo  coat  and  black  pants  and  vest,  for  wear  of 
an  evening,  also  a  bike  suit  for  the  wheeling.  I  need  not 
suggest  anything  of  this  kind  for  Willie,  as  he  is  an  author- 
ity— so  you  had  best  consult  him.  You  need  not  bring  any 
fishing  tackle.  I  have  everything.  Can  you  leave  Woon- 
socket  on  Sunday  so  as  to  leave  for  here  Sunday  night? 
Try  and  do  so  if  you  can,  as  there  is  much  you  should 
see  at  Miami  and  Palm  Beach.  I  will  have  all  matters 
arranged  here  as  to  what  we  shall  do  so  as  to  save  time. 
Of  course  I  would  like  Tom  to  come  also  and  will  be  only 
too  glad  to  have  him.  J.  Jefferson. 

Grover  Cleveland's  friendship  for  Charles 
Jefferson  and  his  desire  for  his  companionship 
will  be  recognised  in  the  many  letters  which  he 
wrote  to  him  arranging  for  fishing  and  hunting 
trips  which  they  so  often  enjoyed  together. 

Executive  Mansion, 
Washington,  Nov.  28,  1894. 
Dear  Charley: 

On  the   15th  day  of  December  at  3  o.  c.  in  the  after- 


258     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

noon,  Captain  Robley  D.  Evans,  commanding  the  U.  S. 
cruiser  New  York,  and  I  will  start  from  here  for  five  or  six 
days'  shooting  in  the  marshes  oflE  South  Carolina. 

You  are  not  only  invited,  but  commanded  to  accom- 
pany us.  There  w^ill  be  fun,  and  you  must  allow  nothing 
to  prevent  your  going.  I  forgot  to  say  that  duck  shooting 
will  be  the  order  of  the  day,  with  deer  and  quail  and  snipe 
thrown  in. 

I  need  not  write  more  fully,  for  the  arrangement  is 
that  you  are  to  go  as  soon  as  possible  after  receiving  this 
to  the  Brooklyn  Navy  Yard  and  find  the  U.  S.  cruiser 
New  York .  (she  is  at  the  dry  dock)  and  inquire  for  Cap- 
tain Evans  commanding  her  (he  is  a  lame  man),  and  he 
will  tell  you  all  the  plans  and  many  things  "  to  your  ad- 
vantage." He  wnll  be  expecting  you.  He  will  come  here 
on  Dec.  14th,  and  you  must  come  with  him  and  stop  with 
us  over  night. 

Let  me  hear  from  you.  Yours  sincerely, 

Grover  Cleveland. 
C.  B.  Jefferson,  Esq., 
New  York. 

Executive  Mansion, 

Washington^ 
March  11,  1894. 
Dear  Charley: 

I  have  just  returned  from  a  shooting  trip  in  North 
Carolina.  I  have  found  a  place  where  geese  arid  swan  and 
trout  can  really  be  found  and  shot. 

I  propose  to  go  again,  some  time  in  May.  I  am  told 
the  birds  are  in  the  finest  possible  condition  then,  though 
perhaps  not  so  plenty  as  earlier. 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  259 

Snipe  will  be  abundant  and  the  fishing  as  fine  as  can 
be  desired.     All  in  all  there  will  be  plenty  of  sport. 

I  want  you  to  begin  to  arrange  to  go  and  let  me  know 
as  soon  as  you  can  the  time  in  the  month  of  May  that  you 
can  best  get  away  for  ten  days  or  so. 

Are  you  going  to  Buzzards  Bay  to  fish  on  the  first  of 
April? 

Yours  sincerely, 
Grover  Cleveland. 
Chas.  B.  Jefferson,  Esq. 

Before  starting  on  this  trip  with  the  President 
and  his  party,  Charles  Jefferson  received  the 
following  letter  from  his  father,  who,  before 
giving  up  the  sport  himself,  was  a  most  expert, 
though  always  a  cautious,  shot: 

My  Dear  Charly: 

Clarke  Davis  tells  me  that  a  special  car  to  your  order 
will  be  at  Jersey  City  ready  to  start  Tuesday  night. 

Wire  me  where  to  write  to  you. 

Be  careful  in  the  field — don't  carry  loaded  guns  within 
shooting  distance  of  each  other,  quail  shooting  in  thick  cover 
is  dangerous. 

Mr.  Rapley  telegraphs  me  that  the  sale  is  2,500 — this 
is  far  the  best  advance  he  has  ever  had  in  Washington. 

Your  loving  Father, 

J.  Jefferson. 

Among  other  letters  from  Mr.  Cleveland  to 
Charles  Jefferson  are  the  following: 


26o    INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

Broadwater  Club^ 
Broadwater,    Virginia, 

Dec.  4,  1892. 
My  Dear  Charley: 

We  start  for  home  to-day,  and  I  enclose  with  this  the 
key  to  your  trunk,  which  Mr.  Davis  has  packed.  If  any- 
thing has  been  left  out  you  must  blame  him  for  it.  The 
gun  I  have  been  using  is  in  with  yours,  and  I  wish  you 
would  buy  It  for  me  at  as  good  a  bargain  as  you  are  able 
to  make. 

We  have  had  a  first-rate  time  and  have  killed  a  few 
brant.  My  boat  killed  six  in  one  day.  Yesterday  I  killed 
12  butter  balls — that  is,  George  and  I  did. 

Every  day  we  have  missed  you  and  wished  that  you  were 

here,  and  Mr.  Davis  and  Mr.  send  love  to  you. 

Yours    sincerely, 
Grover  Cleveland. 


12  West  Fifty-first  Street, 

Jan.  I,  1893. 
My  Dear  Charley: 

Mrs.  Cleveland  is  away  on  a  visit  to  her  mother,  but 
in  her  behalf  and  my  own,  I  want  to  thank  you  most  sin- 
cerely for  the  beautiful  picture  that  came  to  us  to-day  as 
a  New  Year's  present  from  you.  I  don't  know  what  I  can 
say  more  than  to  assure  you  that  we  gratefully  appreciate 
this  last  evidence  of  your  friendship,  and  that  it  shall  al- 
ways have  a  prominent  place  among  our  home  treasures. 

I  must  thank  you  too  for  a  delightful  evening  spent  in 
witnessing  the  Prodigal  Father.  I  enjoyed  it  very  much 
indeed,  and  so  did  the  friends  I  took  with  me. 

Your  father  and  Tom  have  told  me  enough  to  make  me 


S.    H 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  261 

understand  that  the  bad  luck  that  began  with  you  when 
we  were  at  Broadwater  has  followed  you.  If  you  could 
have  heard  the  Governor  talk  about  it  and  the  affectionate 
way  in  which  he  spoke  of  your  conduct  in  the  matter,  you 
would  have  found  a  good  deal  of  compensation  in  it. 

You  don't  need  my  sympathy,  and  there  is  no  occasion 
for  your  fretting.  You  deserve  the  very  best  success  and 
you  will  have  it. 

Hoping  that  1893  may  be  full  of  good  luck  for  you,  and 
wishing  you  a  happy  New  Year,  I  am. 

Yours  very  sincerely, 


Grover  Cleveland. 


C.  B.  Jefferson,  Esq., 

New  York  City. 


Executive  Mansion, 

Washington^ 

Nov.  6,  1895. 
Dear  Charly: 

I  am  in  receipt  of  your  kind  note  of  the  third. 

We  are  now  living  at  Woodley,  a  few  miles  out  of 
town,  and  we  cannot  leave  the  infant  long  enough  to  come 
from  there  to  the  theatre.  Besides,  I  expect  to  leave  for 
New  York  between  eleven  and  twelve  Monday  night.  The 
only  chance  for  me  would  be  to  spend  the  evening  in  town 
and  go  from  the  theatre  to  the  train. 

I  am  afraid  I  ought  to  spend  the  evening  on  my  mes- 
sage, but  perhaps  might  do  the  other  thing  and  look  in  on 
the  show  with  Col.  Lamont  and  his  wife,  with  whom  I  am 
to  leave  the  city. 

I  want  to  see  you  very  much  on  exceedingly  important 
business,  and  fearing  I  may  not  be  able  to  do  so,  I  take  this 
occasion  to  say  that  it  may  be  I  shall  take  another  trip  to 


262     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

South  Carolina,  duck  shooting,  about  the  first  of  December, 
and  four  days  later  you  want  to  make  your  arrangements 
to  go.  I  have  seen  Captain  Evans  and  he  has  written  to 
McKenzIe  (Capt.  of  Light  House  boat),  who  got  us  up  so 
early. 

Gov.  Alexander  has  heartily  Invited  him  and  my  friends, 
and  when  I  saw  him  in  Atlanta  a  week  ago  to-night  he 
was  very  much  pleased  when  I  told  him  that  if  I  came,  you 
would  probably  accompany  me.  Capt.  Evans  saw  one  of 
the  members  of  the  club  whose  marshes  we  shot  over,  and 
he  invited  us  again. 

I  hear  to-day  that  McKenzie  has  a  fine  big  launch  which 
will  be  of  use  to  us. 

Yours   truly, 
Grover  Cleveland. 

Westland, 
Princeton,  New  Jersey, 
Oct.  25th,  1897. 
Dear  Charley: 

I  am  not  sure  that  this  will  reach  you,  as  I  am  not 
certain  of  your  present  address,  but  I  want  to  remind  you 
of  our  ducking  trip  in  December. 

We  expect  to  start  about  the  9th  or  loth  of  Decem- 
ber, and  spend  about  ten  days  away.  Including  yourself  there 
will  be  five  or  six  in  the  party,  and  you  will  know  nearly 
all,  if  not  all  of  them.  Gen.  McCook,  the  present  Cham- 
berlain of  New  York,  will  go,  and  the  rest  will  be  the  same 
persons,  I  think,  who  made  up  the  other  excursions  when 
you  were  along.  I  do  not  think  there  will  be  anything  in- 
terfere with  my  going.  At  any  rate,  I  shall  write  to  Cap- 
tain Evans  to-day,  telling  him  I  shall  be  prepared  to  start, 
unless  something  altogether  unexpected  presents. 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  263 

He  has  charge  of  the  arrangements,  and  will  prepare 
early  for  our  comfort  in  getting  the  camp  fixed,  etc. 

I  shall  tell  him  you  will  go,  and  if  you  see  any  doubt 
about  it  I  wish  you  would  let  me  know  as  soon  as  possi- 
ble. 

Gen.  McCook  and  you  can  come  together  to  the  place 
of  meeting,  or  you  can  come  here  alone  and  pick  me  up,  if 
you  prefer  it. 

Please  let  me  hear  from  you. 

Yours  sincerely, 


Grover  Cleveland. 


Chas.  B.  Jefferson,  Esq. 


Princeton, 
Apr.  22,  1906. 
Dear  Charley: 

Your  letter  is  at  hand.  A  while  ago  I  had  some  cor- 
respondence  with  about   a   monument   to   your 

father.     .     .     . 

I  wrote  him  that  in  my  opinion  The  Players'  or  some 
agency  of  that  kind  closely  related  to  your  father  ought  to 
take  the  lead,  and  I  finally  plainly  told  him  I  must  decline 
participation  in  his  undertaking. 

Of  course  you  will  understand  that  it  is  my  love  for 
your  father  that  makes  me  unwilling  to  be  related  to  a  plan 
of  doing  honour  to  his  memory  which  is  not  in  every  way 
promising  of  success  and  worthy  of  him. 

I  have  learned  to  be  on  my  guard  against  people  who 
rush  to  the  front  in  such  matters. 


Do  you  know  what  ever  became  of  a  man  named 
who  made  a  painting  of  your  father? 


He  came  to  see  me  in  Tamworth,  N.  H.,  on  the  15th 


264     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

of  last  September,  and  got  my  subscriptions  and  payments 
in  advance  for  one  of  the  pictures.  I  have  never  seen  him 
nor  the  picture  since. 

Dr.  Bryant  lately  told  me  he  v^^as  also  waiting  for  one 
he  subscribed  for.  This  man  had  one  of  the  prints  with 
him  when  he  called  on  me. 

•  •  •  •  • 

I  was  in  Florida  nearly  a  month.  Much  to  my  regret 
I  arrived  there  to  find  you  had  left  a  short  time  before,  and 
I  was  obliged  to  leave  just  before  you  were  expected  again. 

Yours  very  sincerely, 
Grover  Cleveland. 
Chas.  B.  Jefferson,  Esq., 

New  Amsterdam  Theatre  Building, 

42nd      St.,  N 

New  York. 

Charles  Jefferson  was  once  asked  whether  his 
friend  ever  talked  politics  when  upon  a  fishing 
trip. 

^' Never,"  was  the  reply.  "When  Grover 
Cleveland  fished,  he  fished,  and  never  allowed 
himself  to  think  of  anything  else;  he  could  sit 
for  hours  and  watched  his  line  without  a  sign  of 
uneasiness  or  impatience.  He  would  talk  and 
joke  and  smoke  as  if  he  were  as  far  removed 
from  the  Presidency  as  I  was. 

"  I  attributed  Mr.  Cleveland's  luck  as  a  fish- 
erman to  his  marvellous  patience.  He  always 
wore  oilskins  and  disguised  himself  in  a  Scotch 
hat.    One  day  he  made  a  great  catch  and  was 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  265 

accosted  by  an  unfortunate  fisherman  in  a  near-by 
boat: 

"  '  Hello  there,  boatman!  what  will  you  take 
for  your  fish?' 

"Tm  not  selling  them,'  replied  Mr.  Cleve- 
land. 

" '  Well,  what  will  you  charge  to  take  me  out 
in  your  boat  to-morrow?' 

^* '  I  can't  make  any  engagements  except  by 
the  season,'  Mr.  Cleveland  replied,  enjoying  the 
joke.  *  Are  you  willing  to  give  me  as  much  as 
I  earned  last  year?' 

"'You're  a  sharp  old  fellow,  but  I'll  accept 
your  terms.'  The  fisherman  was  not  aware  that, 
as  President  of  the  United  States,  the  boatman 
with  whom  he  had  struck  the  bargain  earned  a 
little  less  than  a  thousand  dollars  a  week." 

When  Mr.  Cleveland's  son  Richard  was  born, 
Charles  Jefiferson  drove  over  to  Grey  Gables  to 
congratulate  the  happy  father.  "  How  many 
pounds  does  he  weigh?"  he  asked. 

"  Fifteen,"  was  the  reply. 

"  Nine,"  corrected  Dr.  Bryant,  who  had 
heard  the  question. 

Mr.  Cleveland  assured  the  doctor  that  he 
must  be  mistaken.  "The  child  weighs  fifteen 
pounds.  I  ought  to  know,  for  I  weighed  him 
with  the  scales  Charley  and  I  use  to  go  fishing." 


266     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

Grover  Cleveland  was  an  out-of-doors  man. 
His  physical  condition  mirrored  the  wholesome 
soul  that  was  within  him.  ^'  He  was  a  big,  rosy- 
cheeked  boy  who  enjoyed  life  as  he  found  it. 
He  practised  a  youthful  philosophy  which 
smacked  of  stoicism  and  was  the  seeding  of  a 
statesmanship  that  was  to  blossom  early  in  the 
serious  days  of  his  career. 

"  He  was  a  true  sportsman  all  his  life  in  his 
love  of  nature,  his  thankfulness  to  the  Giver  of 
all  good  things,  and  his  scorn  of  wanton  slaugh- 
ter. He  became  a  philosophic  fisherman  and 
what  he  himself  called  a  serene  duck  hunter. 
Without  neglecting  his  own  business  or  shifting 
official  burdens  to  less  able  shoulders,  he  seized 
every  opportunity  to  get  near  to  Nature  with  his 
rod  or  gun." 

Mr.  Cleveland  was  frequently  the  guest  of 
Charles  Jefferson,  both  at  his  home  at  Hobe 
Sound,  Florida,  and  his  summer  camp  at  Med- 
dybemps,  Maine. 

Writing  upon  the  subject  of  the  warm  friend- 
ship existing  between  the  two  men,  Acton 
Davies  says: 

"To  any  one  who  knew  Buzzards  Bay  and 
the  summer  colonies  as  they  were  ten  years  ago, 
the  fact  that  these  two  staunch  old  friends  and 
enthusiastic  fishermen,  Grover  Cleveland  and 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  267 

Charles  Jefferson,  should  have  died  within 
twenty-four  hours  of  each  other  could  not  fail 
to  seem  what  it  is,  a  tragic  coincidence. 

"The  great  friendship  which  existed  between 
the  dead  ex-President  and  the  late  Joseph  Jef- 
ferson was  a  matter  of  national  knowledge,  but 
as  a  literal  fact,  during  the  fishing  season  at 
Buzzards  Bay,  Charlie  Jefferson  and  Mr. 
Cleveland  were  much  more  together  than  Mr. 
Cleveland  and  the  elder  Jefferson.  The  reason 
was  simple  enough:  Mr.  Cleveland  and  Charlie 
were  fishermen  pure  and  simple.  Nine  o'clock 
in  the  morning  found  them  at  the  boat  ready 
to  start,  rain  or  shine. 

"The  elder  Jefferson  was  a  loyal  fisherman, 
but  he  worshipped  other  gods,  too.  His  paint- 
ings, of  which  at  his  death  he  left  a  studioful, 
absorbed  a  great  deal  of  his  time,  and  those  days 
were  not  infrequent  when  he  forsook,  temporar- 
ily, fly,  reel  or  hook,  line  and  sinker  for  the  more 
soothing  charms  of  the  palette  and  brush. 

"  The  same  sympathy  and  complete  lack  of  os- 
tentation which  distinguished  the  home  life  of 
the  great  statesman,  were  equally  as  strong  a 
feature  in  the  home  life  of  the  great  actor  and 
his  eldest  son." 

When  it  became  evident  that  Charles  Jeffer- 
son had  but  a  few  hours  to  live,  his  brother, 


268     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

Thomas  Jefferson,  who  for  two  weeks  was  in 
constant  attendance  at  his  bedside,  sent  a  letter 
to  the  wife  of  the  ex-President  informing  her  of 
the  condition  of  his  brother,  requesting  that  she 
prepare  Mr.  Cleveland  for  the  sad  event,  that  it 
might  not  cause  a  shock  to  his  own  enfeebled 
condition. 

In  thanking  Mr.  Jefferson  for  his  thought- 
fulness — after  the  death  of  her  husband,  which 
occurred  just  twenty-four  hours  later  than  that 
of  his  friend — the  wife  of  the  ex-President 
stated  that  a  mutual  friend,  speaking  of  the  co- 
incidence, remarked:  "Just  as  it  used  to  be  in 
the  old  fishing  days,"  implying  that  "Charlie" 
always  went  just  ahead. 

It  was  one  of  "Charlie"  Jefferson's  fondest 
boasts  that  before  he  died  he  intended  to  help 
to  make  both  of  the  Cleveland  boys  just  half  as 
good  fishermen  as  their  father. 

Charles  Jefferson  had  a  number  of  homes, 
both  in  the  North  and  in  the  South,  and  the  ex- 
President  was  frequently  his  guest  either  in 
Florida  or  at  his  fishing  camp  in  Meddy- 
bemps,  Maine. 

One  summer  the  President  of  the  United 
States,  with  Joseph  Jefferson  and  his  son  Tom, 
left  Buzzards  Bay  for  Boston  on  their  way  to 
visit  Charlie's  camp  (before  the  owner's  return 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  269 

from  Florida).  They  dined  at  the  Touraine 
Hotel  about  six  o'clock,  the  dinner  being  served 
in  the  private  suite  of  rooms  which  had  been 
engaged  for  the  party.  Their  train  was  to  leave 
the  North  Station  at  nine  forty-five,  and  about 
nine  o'clock  the  reporters  who  had"  got  wind" 
of  the  celebrated  party,  saw  Tom  Jefferson 
pass  through  the  hotel  office,  and  heard  him  give 
the  order  for  the  carriage,  which  was  to  drive 
them  to  the  station. 

He  was  asked  to  give  the  destination  of  the 
party  for  the  benefit  of  the  press,  but  courteously 
declined. 

Just  then  the  President  himself  appeared,  and 
while  waiting  for  his  friend,  the  reporters  had 
an  opportunity  to  question  him. 

"Ah,  you  mustn't  bother  me  to-night,"  said 
the  great  statesman,  good  naturedly,  "  I'm  going 
into  the  woods — fishing." 

The  papers  on  the  following  morning  stated 
in  large  head-lines  that  the  party  had  passed 
through  the  city  on  their  way  to  Maine,  and 
that  although  they  declined  to  give  their  desti- 
nation, it  was  supposed  that  from  Bar  Harbor 
the  President  and  Messrs.  Jefferson  would  "  pro- 
ceed to  the  woods — wherever  they  might  be." 

The  Boston  Globe  of  August  23d,  1903,  gives 
the  following  account  of  the  trip : 


270     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

"Although  President  Grover  Cleveland  has 
returned  to  Buzzards  Bay  after  playing  the 
black  bass  and  land-locked  salmon  in  Meddy- 
bemps  Lake,  on  the  borders  of  the  town  of  the 
same  name  in  Washington  County,  Maine,  the 
inhabitants  have  not  yet  ceased  to  discuss  his 
visit  there.  He  was  the  guest  of  that  other 
famous  fisherman,  the  veteran  actor,  Joseph  Jef- 
ferson. 

"  Meddybemps  is  twenty-two  miles  from  East- 
port  and  six  miles  by  team  from  Ayer's  Junc- 
tion on  the  Washington  county  road.  A  more 
secluded  spot  would  be  difficult  to  find.  The 
island  is  nearly  in  the  centre  of  the  lake  and 
about  one  and  one-half  miles  from  the  shore, 
thickly  wooded,  and  while  but  200  yards  in 
length,  makes  an  ideal  location  for  a  summer 
camp.  The  lake  is  seven  miles  long  and  four 
miles  wide  and  contains  a  half  hundred  small 
islands  about  the  size  of  Moss  Island. 

"  The  island  on  w^hich  is  located  the  Jefferson 
camp  is  appropriately  named  Moss,  for  moss 
is  abundant.  The  camp  is  surrounded,  except 
on  the  water  side,  by  trees,  and  is  but  a  few  rods 
from  the  shores  of  the  lake.  Moss  Island  was 
formerly  the  property  of  William  Lombard, 
one  of  the  veteran  hunters  of  the  Meddybemps 
village,  who  sold  it  to  F.  B.  Allen  of  New  York, 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  271 

a  retired  merchant,  who  has  a  camp  near  the 
Jefferson  camp. 

"When  the  Globe  artist  arrived  the  Presi- 
dent was  on  the  lake  fishing,  but  Mr.  Jefferson 
extended  a  welcome  and  granted  permission  to 
take  a  photograph  of  the  camp.  The  boat  con- 
taining Mr.  Cleveland  and  the  actor's  son  re- 
turned shortly.  The  President's  face  was 
well  tanned  in  spite  of  the  protection  which  his 
broad-brimmed  hat  afforded,  and  on  this  par- 
ticular occasion  it  was  evident  that  his  luck 
had  been  good,  for  he  carried  a  fine  string  of 
fish. 

"The  day  before  he  left  the  camp  the  Presi- 
dent landed  a  six-and-one-half-pound  salmon, 
and  this  fish  he  took  with  him  when  he  rattled 
away  over  the  rough  roads  to  Ayer's  Junction, 
where  he  caught  the  west-bound  train  for  Bos- 
ton and  home. 

"  The  presence  of  the  Chief  Executive  at  Lake 
Meddybemps  was  heralded  throughout  the  sur- 
rounding country,  and  report  has  it  that  the 
President  just  escaped  a  visit  from  a  delegation 
of  prominent  Washington  county  Democrats, 
who  had  planned  to  invade  Moss  Island  and  ex- 
tend to  its  distinguished  visitor  the  freedom  of 
eastern  Maine." 

To  Grover  Cleveland  fishing  was  a  science. 


2  72     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

It  was  not  a  pastime.  He  would  not  be  more 
earnest  addressing  a  public  meeting,  whence  his 
words  would  be  flashed  over  the  country  to  be 
read  by  millions,  than  when  he  sat  in  a  small 
boat  and,  with  infinite  patience,  waited  for  a  bite. 

Says  the  Outing  magazine: 

"  Cleveland  has  been  going  to  an  island  at  the 
head  of  Lake  Erie  for  the  last  six  years.  It  is 
an  ideal  fishing  place. 

"The  thing  that  impresses  one  most  about  the 
ex-President,  when  he  gets  so  close  to  nature  as 
he  does  here,  is  his  simpleness.  He  wears  an 
old  brown  suit,  with  a  soft  hat  pulled  down  over 
his  face.  You  do  not  feel  that  this  heavy-set, 
rather  ponderous  person  is  the  man  who  has 
become  familiar  to  you  through  his  lithographs 
spread  broadcast  in  political  campaigns.  He  is 
a  big  man,  but  he  is  not  as  big  a  man  as  you  ex- 
pected. And  he  is  sturdier.  That  word  sturdy 
probably  describes  him  better  than  any  other. 

"  It's  rather  an  oddly  composed  party.  Charles 
Foster,  ex-Governor  of  Ohio,  and  all  his  life  a 
Republican,  is  always  there,  and  so  is  John  Uri 
Lloyd,  the  writer.  '  Fighting  Bob '  Evans  is 
an  especial  favourite  of  Cleveland's,  but  this 
year  he  was  in  Asiatic  waters. 

"  Cleveland  is  very  methodical  in  his  habits  on 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  273 

these  trips.  One  day  never  differs  from  another 
except  in  the  number  of  fish  caught.  Cleveland 
is  at  the  club-house  promptly  at  eight  o'clock 
every  morning.  Breakfast  is  a  serious  business. 
The  bass  caught  the  day  before  make  one  of  the 
chief  dishes.  Probably  next  to  catching  fish 
Cleveland  enjoys  eating  them.  He  never  hur- 
ries. Even  the  anticipation  of  the  day's  sport 
does  not  hasten  breakfast.  Dinner  takes  any- 
vv^here  from  an  hour  and  a  half  to  two  hours. 

"  Cleveland  dominates  these  fishing  parties 
just  as  he  used  to  dominate  political  conventions. 
All  the  other  members  wait  for  him  and  on  him. 
If  anybody  else  were  late  in  arriving  at  the  dock 
he  would  stand  a  good  chance  of  being  left  be- 
hind, but  the  tug  never  moves  till  Cleveland  is 
aboard. 

"As  the  little  craft  moves  off  from  the  dock 
across  the  sunny  waters,  Grover  Cleveland 
comes  as  close  to  being  a  satisfied  man  as  any 
human  can.  He  carefully  begins  to  get  his  lines 
and  pole  and  his  reel  ready.  The  best  fishing  is 
in  Canadian  waters,  and  it  costs  the  ex-Presi- 
dent twenty-five  dollars  for  the  privilege.  Usu- 
ally he  and  Leroy  Brooks,  with  a  man  to  row, 
occupy  the  same  boat.  Cleveland's  favourite 
seat  is  the  stern.    He  uses  a  short,  light  rod.    He 


2  74     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

casts  off  carefully,  bends  forward  while  the  line 
runs  out,  and  then  settles  back,  pulls  his  hat 
down  over  his  face  and  smokes  and  waits 
silently. 

"  If  the  weather  is  fine — and  up  there  when  it 
is  fine  it  is  very  fine  indeed — this  idleness  comes 
as  near  to  perfect  pleasure  as  anything  can.  Here 
and  there  an  island  dots  the  blue  expanse;  the 
water  breaks  in  long,  lazy  swells;  the  tugs  sleep 
at  anchor;  overhead  is  the  hot,  early  summer 
sun. 

"  If  anybody  thinks  Grover  Cleveland  Is 
growing  old  he  wants  to  spend  a  day  fishing 
with  the  ex-President.  Most  often  he  sits  mo- 
tionless and  silent.  If  the  fish  bite,  he  is  happy; 
if  they  do  not,  he  is  hopeful.  When  the  fish  do 
not  bite  where  he  is,  he  clambers  aboard  the  tug 
from  the  small  boat  and  seeks  better  grounds. 

"  It  is  usually  about  dusk  before  the  party  re- 
turns from  the  fishing.  If  it  has  been  a  good 
day,  Cleveland  stops  on  the  dock  a  moment  to 
talk.  If  the  sport  has  been  poor,  he  hastens  on 
to  the  club-house.  Nobody  would  think  of  mak- 
ing fun  of  him  for  his  failure — at  least  no  one 
at  this  island — but  he  evidently  thinks  taciturn- 
ity a  safeguard. 

"After  the  protracted  dinner  that  even  an  ex- 
President  is  ready  for  at  the  end  of  the  day,  the 


THOMAS   JEFFERSOX 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  275 

party  goes  over  to  their  cottage.  In  an  hour 
lights  are  out,  and  so  the  quiet  days  slip  by." 

In  the  South,  as  elsewhere,  "Charlie"  Jef- 
ferson was  loved.  A  recent  article  in  the  Home- 
seeker — published  in  Florida — speaks  of  the 
kindly  feeling  entertained  by  all  for  his  genial 
nature: 

"  Charles  Jefferson  was  blessed  with  a  big 
heart  and  with  soul,  a  gift  not  accorded  to  every 
one.  In  West  Palm  Beach,  where  Mr.  Jefifer- 
son  spent  the  greater  part  of  the  last  few  years, 
he  became  endeared  to  every  person  in  the  com- 
munity, .  .  .  and  to  these  people  he  will  ever 
be  remembered  for  his  splendid  qualities  as  a 
man,  a  neighbour,  and  a  friend." 

In  Louisiana  the  same  affectionate  regard  was 
held  for  him. 

The  Taylor-Trotwood  Magazine  speaks  of 
the  homage  of  the  Cajins  as  told  by  Charles 
Labaue: 

"  Mr.  Jefferson  would  come  weighted  down 
with  presents  for  everybody.  His  generosity 
was  well  known,  and  the  Cajins  were  not  slow 
in  letting  him  know  they  adored  people  who 
gave  presents.  Many  years  ago,  when  the  Jef- 
fersons  wanted  to  restock  the  island  with  quail, 
Labaue's  children  undertook  to  trap  the  birds, 
and  he  brought  them  to  the  Jefferson  house. 


2  76     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

Charlie  Jefiferson  opened  the  bag.  The  birds 
flew  away.  Then  he  turned  to  the  astonished 
Cajin  to  ask  how  much  he  owed  him. 

"  ^  Nothing,'  the  man  replied.  '  See,  they  are 
gone.' 

" '  I  bought  them  to  turn  loose  on  the  island.' 
He  handed  Labaue  ten  dollars. 

"  '  I'll  take  it  to  the  children,'  he  replied.  *  I'll 
say  it  is  a  present  sent  by  you.' 

"This  was  the  beginning  of  a  friendship  be- 
tween the  two.  'Ah,  but  he  was  of  the  big 
heart,'  Labaue  would  exclaim  affectionately. 
'  He  was  the  one  everybody  loved.' 

"  Charles  Jefiferson  lived  on  the  island  for  a 
number  of  years.  Here,  about  half  a  mile  from 
the  home  house,  is  the  cottage  that  he  built  for 
his  beautiful  wife,  who  died  and  was  buried  un- 
der the  grey-draped  trees  that  hide  the  cottage 
from  view.  The  Cajins  loved  Charlie  Jeffer- 
son. He  was  one  of  them.  He  was  at  heart  a 
cowboy,  and  entered  into  their  sports,  their 
amusements,  with  all  the  energy  and  enthusiasm 
of  a  native  son  of  the  soil.  Indeed,  when  the 
question  of  the  Jeffersons  is  brought  up,  they 
will  switch  from  the  distinguished  father  to  tell 
you  of  the  exploits  of  the  son.  They  have  heard 
vaguely  of  Joe  Jefferson's  acting,  but  they  know 
that  Charlie  is  the  greatest  actor  the  world  will 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  277 

ever  see,  for  they  have  seen  him  act.  They  will 
tell  you  of  the  time  he  acted  in  New  Iberia.  It 
is  a  story  handed  down  from  father  to  son,  how 
the  house  rang  to  the  echo  with  the  enthusiasm 
of  the  audience  who  were  seeing  a  play  perhaps 
for  the  first  time. 

"  The  fever  for  the  stage  was  inherited  in  the 
Jefferson  family.  Even  when  Charlie  Jefferson 
was  supposed  to  be  farming  he  had  dreams  of 
making  his  fortune  on  the  stage.  '  Charlie,  he 
say  to  me,'  Labaue  reminiscenced,  '  I  put  on 
de  play.  It  make  one  hit.  I  come  back  with 
great  money.  I  farm  the  rest  of  my  life  and 
live  here.'  It  was  on  one  of  these  trips  North 
that  Charlie  Jefferson's  wife  died.  He  had  gone 
to  New  York  with  high  hopes  of  making  his 
fortune  on  The  Shadows  of  a  Great  City,  or 
some  play  like  that.  While  he  was  away  she 
died.  Naturally  after  that  the  associations 
were  painful  to  him,  and  he  left  for  the  North. 
The  Cajins  still  look  for  him  to  come  back 
*home'  to  live. 

"  One  of  the  treats  that  Jefferson  always  laid 
great  stress  on  giving  his  guests  was  '  Cajin 
coffee.'  They  would  call  on  the  different  ten- 
ants to  drink  with  them.  Labaue  tells  with 
pride  how  Mr.  Cleveland  told  him  '"he  had 
never  got  no  cafe  like  dat  in  his  life  before." ' 


278     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

Mr.  Jefferson  also  declared  that  nobody  in  the 
world  could  equal  the  Cajins  in  preparing  his 
favourite  drink.  In  the  hunting  trips  through 
the  country  all  of  the  cabins  on  the  island  were 
visited,  and  coffee  was  taken  at  every  place — to 
avoid  the  petty  jealousies  which  would  have 
been  engendered  if  some  had  been  slighted. 

"  Cleveland's  visit  was  a  great  time  out  there. 
For  it  seems  he  was  quite  as  lavish  and  gener- 
ous in  gifts  as  his  host. 

"  Labaue's  wife  spun  a  homespun  suit  for  Mr. 
Cleveland  and  a  riding-habit  for  little  Ruth, 
after  his  return  to  the  North.  This  was  sent  to 
the  ex-President  as  a  Christmas  present.  In  re- 
turn he  sent  Labaue  fifty  dollars.  ^Yes,  feefty 
dollar,'  emphasised  the  lover  of  Christmas 
gifts." 

Not  only  in  Florida  and  Louisiana,  but  in  the 
city  of  New  York  among  his  business  associates 
and  the  members  of  the  theatrical  profession 
was  "  Charlie"  Jefferson  beloved.  The  devotion 
paid  to  him  during  his  last  illness  by  his  former 
partners  will  stand  forever  as  a  monument  to 
their  loyalty. 

At  his  summer  home  in  Sandwich,  Massa- 
chusetts, Charles  Jefferson  and  his  wife  (Edna 
Cary)  will  always  be  remembered  with  respect 
and  admiration. 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  279 

It  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  he  should 
have  elected  for  his  own  last  resting-place  the 
little  rural  cemetery  in  that  lovely  village  on 
old  Cape  Cod  by  the  side  of  his  beloved  father, 
to  whom  he  had  devoted  the  best  years  of  his 
life. 


28o     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 
CHAPTER  XII 

AN    HERITAGE 

The  lines  are  fallen  unto  me  in  pleasant  places;  yea,  I 

have  a  good  heritage.  _ 

^  ^  Psalms. 

IT  was  to  his  second  son,  Thomas,  that 
Joseph  Jefferson — when  he  realised  that  the 
end  of  his  long  career  was  near  at  hand, 
and  that  his  well-known  embodiment  of  Rip 
Van  Winkle  would  soon  be  a  mere  memory  of 
bygone  dramatic  days — bequeathed  the  work 
which  had  become  sacred  to  him,  and  the  task 
of  continuing  his  art;  and  he  so  expressed 
himself  in  his  valedictory  to  his  well-beloved 
public.  "  In  imagination  he  stood  upon  the 
stage  for  the  last  time,  saying  his  farewell 
words.  He  not  only  bade  an  affectionate  adieu 
as  representative  of  the  successive  generations 
of  Jeffersons  who  had  filled  their  place  upon 
the  boards,  but  asked  kindly  favour  for  his  suc- 
cessor to  whom  he  would  resign  the  mantle  that 
was  about  to  fall  from  his  shoulders." 

The  call  to  play  his  father's  part  of  Rip  Van 
Winkle  came  most  unexpectedly  to  Thomas  Jef- 
ferson in  the  fall  of  1897,  when  at  his  home  In 
Montclair,  New  Jersey.     Mr.  Joseph  Jefferson 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  281 

was  at  the  Holland  House  in  New  York,  pre- 
paring for  his  usual  winter  tour,  when  he  was 
taken  seriously  ill.  Thomas  Jefferson  describes 
his  feelings  upon  receiving  a  telephone  message 
from  his  brother  Charles  saying  that  his  father 
requested  him  to  come  to  New  York  at  once  and 
rehearse  the  part  of  Rip,  which  he  would  have 
to  play  in  his  place  within  a  week's  time. 

"  I  was  so  startled  that  I  wanted  to  run — I 
don't  know  where — anywhere. 

"  Father  used  to  tell  a  story  about  my  nerv- 
ousness when  called  upon  to  appear  before  an 
audience.  It  delighted  him  to  relate  how  upon 
one  occasion  when  I  was  his  manager — my 
work  being  confined  exclusively  to  the  front  of 
the  house — we  were  playing  in  a  city  to  which 
the  railroad  company  had  run  a  *  special '  from 
the  near-by  town  of  Herkimer,  and  wishing  to  in- 
form their  patrons  that  the  train  would  be  held 
for  their  return  after  the  performance,  word  to 
this  effect  was  sent  to  the  theatre  with  the  re- 
quest that  the  announcement  be  made  to  the 
audience. 

"  My  brother,  whose  business  it  was  to  make 
all  announcements  before  the  curtain,  could  not 
be  found.  It  was  time  to  ring  up  for  the  fourth 
act,  but  still  no  Joe.  Father  turned  to  me : '  You 
must  go  on  and  tell  them,  Tom,'  and,  taking  me 


282     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

by  the  arm,  he  almost  pushed  me  in  front  of  the 
curtain.  When  I  found  myself  facing  that  im- 
mense audience  I  was  so  embarrassed  I  could 
only  stammer  one  word,  and  that  word  I  half 
shouted.     It  was  '  Herkimer! ' 

"  The  effect  can  be  imagined !  Half  the  audi- 
ence, supposing  I  had  called  their  train,  arose 
and  made  for  the  door. 

"When  I  arrived  in  New  York,  I  went  direct 
to  my  father's  rooms  at  the  hotel,  where  I  found 
him  very  ill. 

" '  Well,  my  son,'  he  said,  '  you  will  have  to 
take  my  place;  let  me  see  how  well  you  are  go- 
ing to  do  it' 

"^  But,'  I  stammered,  'how  can  I?  I  do  not 
know  the  lines.  I  have  never  even  tried  to  play 
Rip.' 

"'You  can  do  it,  my  boy,  I  know  you  can,' 
father  said,  and  then  and  there  he  insisted  upon 
rehearsing  me  in  the  most  important  scene  in  the 
play.  I  shall  never  forget  it.  There  lay  my 
dear  father  about  to  die  (as  we  all  feared)  — 
and  there  was  I  lying  upon  the  floor  going 
through  the  waking-up  scene  from  his  play.  Rip 
Van  Winkle! 

"  I  had  never  played  the  part,  but  I  had  for 
years    rehearsed    different    companies    for    my 


ED     2 

^    < 

o     > 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  283 

father,  as  he  disliked  the  work  very  much,  so  I 
was  more  or  less  familiar  with  the  lines. 

"  My  brother  brought  me  the  manuscript  to 
study,  but  I  said,  '  No,  the  book  cannot  help  me. 
I  must  play  the  part  as  I  remember  it.' 

" '  Do  it  my  way  when  it  comes  natural,  my 
boy,'  father  suggested,  '  and  when  it  doesn't,  do 
it  your  own.' 

"  Few  people  realise  how  varied  Joseph  Jef- 
ferson's performance  of  Rip  Van  Winkle  was; 
he  seldom  played  it  alike,  yet  the  audience 
thought  it  never  changed. 

"  It  was  not  until  that  rehearsal  that  I  realised 
how  much  of  the  part  I  had  unconsciously  ab- 
sorbed! When  I  had  finished,  father  said  ap- 
provingly: 'All  right!  you'll  do!' 

"  '  That's  what  you  say,  father,  but  how  about 
the  fellow  out  in  front? ' 

"  However,  I  felt  encouraged  and  went 
through  the  '  recognition '  scene  for  him,  and 
finally,  after  several  more  rehearsals,  I  played 
the  part  for  the  first  time  at  a  Thanksgiving 
matinee  in  Pittsburg.  A  holiday  audience  is 
always  kind,  and  they  seemed  to  like  me,  and  I 
felt  it;  it  helped  me,  and  the  play  was  a  success. 

"  My  father's  last  words  of  advice  were, 
'You  must  not  try  to  catch  my  gestures  or  facial 
changes.    Never  mind  the  outer  man,  it  is  the 


284     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

inner  man  you  must  study.  By  that  I  mean,  you 
must  try  to  discover  the  workings  of  my  mind, 
for  when  I  begin  to  waken  as  the  old  man,  I 
strive  to  put  myself  in  the  mental  attitude  that 
would  have  been  his,  upon  recovering  himself 
after  half  a  lifetime's  slumber.  I  try  to  express 
the  uncertainty,  the  confusion,  the  hopes  and 
fears  that  would  crowd  the  mind  of  a  person 
passing  through   such  an   extraordinary  expe- 


rience. 


It  is  not  necessary  that  your  interpretation 
should  be  outwardly  like  mine — in  fact,I  should 
be  extremely  doubtful  of  your  success  if  it  were. 
But  the  great  point  will  be  to  express  properly 
the  thoughts  and  emotions  of  the  wakening  man 
in  your  own  way.  Never  mind  how  you  do  this, 
and  don't  try  to  produce  any  desired  effect,  nor 
in  the  same  way  each  time.  The  thing  you  must 
be  concerned  with,  is  your  own  idea  of  the  part 
and  your  personal  feelings  when  you  are  play- 
ing it.'" 

When  Mr.  Jefferson  was  well  enough  to 
write,  he  sent  the  letter  to  his  son  which  is  here 
reproduced. 

After  seeing  Thomas  play  the  part,  Mr.  Jef- 
ferson decided  that  he  must  have  a  com- 
pany of  his  own,  and  go  into  the  territory  no 
longer  used  by  himself,  he  to  keep  the  big  cities 


t 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  285 

and  Tom  to  have  the  smaller  towns.  When 
travelling  with  his  own  company  from  one  large 
city  to  another,  Mr.  Jefferson  would  often  laugh 
when  the  train  stopped  to  take  on  water,  and 
pointing  to  the  tank  would  say,  "  This  must  be 
one  of  Tom's  towns." 

In  speaking  of  his  father's  jokes  at  his  early 
experiences — which  in  many  ways  resembled 
those  of  Mr.  Jefferson — his  son  would  say: 

"Father  used  to  tell  a  'good  one'  on  me, — 
an  experience  I  had  in  Ohio,  in  a  town  with  the 
singular  name  of  Newcomerstown,  where  I  had 
a  very  poor  house.  My  father  was  at  Palm 
Beach,  and  one  day,  while  on  a  fishing  trip,  he 
met  a  man  who  had  told  him  he  was  a  manu- 
facturer from  Ohio,  and  had  large  business  in- 
terests in  Newcomerstown. 

"'By-the-by,  Mr.  Jefferson,'  said  my  father's 
new  friend,  '  I  think  that  quite  recently  I  was 
able  to  render  you  a  service.' 

"  '  Indeed! '  father  said,  '  in  what  way,  may  I 
ask?' 

"  '  Why,  a  fellow  came  to  my  town  a  few 
months  ago,  calling  himself  Jefferson.  He  had 
the  assurance  to  stick  up  his  bills  announcing 
that  he  would  play  Rip  Van  Winkle,  but,  thanks 
to  me,  he  didn't  make  a  dollar,  and  it  cost  him 
money  to  get  out  of  town.' 


286     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

"'Why,  how  was  that?'  father  asked. 

"  '  Because — don't  you  see? — I  knew  it  wasn't 
you,'  was  the  satisfied  reply  of  the  man  from 
Ohio,  '  so  I  warned  my  workmen  not  to  go  near 
the  place, — told  'em  the  man  was  an  impostor. 
As  the  entire  population  of  the  town  consists  of 
my  employees,  you  bet  I  fixed  that  chap  all 
right!' 

"  My  father  thanked  the  gentleman  and  in- 
formed him  that  the  unfortunate  actor  was  his 
own  son  and  professional  successor! 

"  I  shall  never  forget  the  first  time  my  father 
saw  me  play  Rip.  With  kindness  and  with  fore- 
sight, too,  he  did  not  let  me  know  he  was  in  the 
audience.  Had  I  known  it,  it  would  have  em- 
barrassed me — so  great  was  my  veneration  for 
his  art. 

"  As  soon  as  the  curtain  fell,  he  came  back 
upon  the  stage  and  met  me  with  outstretched 
hands. 

"'Where  did  you  come  from?'  I  asked  in 
astonishment. 

"  '  From  the  front  of  the  house,'  was  the  reply. 

"  '  I  did  not  see  you.' 

"  '  No — I  know  you  did  not.  I  didn't  intend 
you  should.     I  sat  far  back  on  purpose.' 

"  *  But  you  could  not  hear,'  I  said,  thinking  of 
his  slight  deafness. 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  287 

"  '■  Young  man,'  he  answered,  with  that  hu- 
morous twinkle  of  the  eye  which  everybody 
who  has  ever  seen  him  will  remember,  *  I  am 
somewhat  familiar  with  this  play  myself.  I 
do  not  need  to  hear.  I  came  to  see  you,  and  I 
came  to  see  Rip  on  the  stage — I  had  never  seen 
him  before,  and  it  seemed  very  strange.' 

"At  another  time  my  father  was  present  with- 
out my  knowledge,  saying  that  he  had  come  this 
time  to  watch  the  effect  of  the  play  on  the  audi- 


ence." 


The  actor  said  many  kind  things  to  his  son 
about  his  conception  of  the  part,  and  the  fact 
that  the  latter  continued  to  play  Rip  during  his 
father's  lifetime  and  after,  is  evidence  that  he 
gave  it  his  approval. 

Speaking  of  his  father's  art,  Mr.  Jefferson 
says: 

"  Few  people  know  what  unceasing  study  my 
father  devoted  to  Rip. 

"  Actors  as  a  rule  are  afraid  of  the  critics, 
but  he  was  not.  The  critics  were  constantly 
crying  for  a  new  play,  whereas  the  public 
wanted  Rip,  and  although  father  tried  several 
times  to  give  his  audiences  different  roles,  the 
public  did  not  seem  to  care  for  them,  which 
proved  to  him  what  they  did  want.  That  he 
decided  wisely  in  continuing  the  old  part  was 


288     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

shown  by  the  fact  that  year  after  year  his  busi- 
ness increased,  and  he  used  to  say: 

" '  The  public  always  know  what  you  can  do 
best.'" 

When  Joseph  Jefferson  retired  from  the 
stage,  he  had  great  confidence  in  the  loyalty  of 
the  public  to  his  successor,  whom  he  had 
planned  to  indorse  personally,  as  the  following 
letter  will  show: 

New  York,  Oct.  nth,  1904. 
My  Dear  Tom: 

I  received  your  letter  and  am  glad  to  hear  that  you 
are  holding  your  own.  There  is  no  doubt  that  my  retire- 
ment from  the  stage  will  be  a  benefit  to  you. 

I  told  Charlie  that  if  he  can  arrange  it,  I  will  give 
him  and  yourself  my  full  production — scenery,  properties, 
costumes,  etc.,  so  it  will  not  cost  you  a  cent. 

I  will  come  up  from  the  South  and  be  present  on  your 
opening  night.     I  am  improving  slowly. 

All  join  me  in  love. 

Father. 

The  opening  referred  to  in  this  letter  was  to 
have  taken  place  at  the  Boston  Theatre,  April 
23d,  1904,  but  before  it  occurred,  Joseph  Jef- 
ferson was  again  taken  very  ill.  Rehearsals, 
which  were  being  held  daily,  were  continued, 
but  every  heart  was  filled  with  anxiety. 


THOMAS  JEFFERSON 

AS    RIP   VAN   WINKLE    (laST   ACt) 
"  MY   GUN    MUST   OF   COTCHED    THE    RHUMATIX    TOO  !  " 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  289 

In  an  interview  published  at  this  time  in  The 
Boston  American,  Eleanor  Ames  wrote: 

"  In  Palm  Beach,  Joseph  Jefferson  is  fight- 
ing for  his  life.  He  will  never  again  face  the 
footlights. 

"  In  Boston,  his  son,  Thomas  Jefferson,  is 
preparing  to  appear  in  his  father's  greatest  role, 
Rip  Van  Winkle. 

"  For  seven  years  Tom  Jefferson  has  been 
barn-storming  the  far  West  as  Rip.  He  has 
been  a  success. 

"  On  Monday  night  when  he  appears  at  the 
Boston  Theatre,  he  '  makes  his  first  whack  at 
Rip  in  a  big  city,'  as  he  expresses  it. 

"When  I  saw  him  at  the  Touraine,  he  came 
swiftly  towards  me,  holding  a  telegram  in  his 
hand,  his  face  radiant  with  relief.  '  Read  that,' 
he  said,  as  he  thrust  the  yellow  paper  at  me 
eagerly.  It  read :  '  Father  continues  to  improve. 
He  is  taking  nourishment' 

"The  son,  who  has  literally  stepped  into  his 
famous  father's  shoes,  stood  before  me  smiling, 
fairly  vibrating  with  joy.  *  You  must  have  been 
under  an  awful  strain,'  I  said,  '  rehearsing  your 
father's  greatest  part  while  he  was  fighting 
against  death.' 

"  His  voice  grew  deep  and  husky  with  emo- 
tion, and  there  were  tears  in  his  eyes  as  he  re- 


290     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

plied,  '  If  I  should  live  to  be  a  hundred  years 
old  I  shall  never  forget  this  past  w^eek;  here  am 
I  in  Boston  preparing  to  play  Rip  on  my  father's 
old  stamping  ground,  v^^hile  at  the  other  end  of 
the  continent  he  is  lying  ill,  and  I  dare  not 
think  w^hat  the  next  tidings  may  be.' 

"  Thomas  Jefferson  appreciates  as  does  no  one 
else  in  the  world  the  position  he  is  to  occupy 
as  his  father's  successor." 

Joseph  Jefferson  impressed  upon  His  son  not 
to  fear  the  critic,  by  saying  that  when  his  own 
notices  were  bad,  as  they  sometimes  were,  he 
consoled  himself  by  arguing  that  the  criticism 
was  only  the  opinion  of  one  man,  whereas  if  the 
notice  was  good,  he  told  himself,  that  was  the 
opinion  of  every  man! 

The  night  before  Thomas  Jefferson  was  to 
have  opened  in  Boston,  a  message  was  received 
which  caused  the  engagement  to  be  cancelled, 
and  the  house  to  remain  dark.  The  telegram 
was  dated  "West  Palm  Beach,  April  23,  1905." 
It  read: 

Mr.  Thomas  Jefferson,  Hotel  Touraine,  Boston,  Mass.: 
Our   dear   father  has  passed   away.      His  sufferings  are 
over.     God  bless  you  all. 

Charles. 

The  following  September  the  interrupted  en- 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  291 

gagement  at  the  Boston  Theatre  was  fulfilled; 
and  the  son  of  and  successor  to  Joseph  Jefferson, 
in  speaking  of  the  coming  event,  is  reported  to 
have  said  through  The  Boston  Globe: 

"  This  is  practically  my  debut  in  a  metropoli- 
tan city  and  before  one  of  my  father's  audiences, 
and  a  test  as  to  v^hether  the  public  v^ill  accept 
me  in  my  father's  role. 

"  In  a  Western  town,  I  recall  one  criticism 
which  said  in  effect  that  I  was  too  young  in  the 
first  act.  Father,  who  read  the  criticism,  said, 
'That  is  a  good  fault.  I  wish  they  could  say 
that  of  me!' 

"  I  am  naturally  nervous  over  this  opening  in 
;Bo9ton,  but  it  is  a  good  thing  for  me,  as  it  will 
put  me  on  my  mettle.  I  shall  wear  the  same 
clothes  that  my  father  wore  in  that  part,  as  he  be- 
queathed his  entire  wardrobe  to  me — the  very 
same  worn  by  him  so  many  years,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  the  leggings.  These  were  not  orig- 
inally his,  but  belonged  to  his  half-brother, 
Charles  Burke,  who  wore  them  in  the  part  be- 
fore father  ever  played  it. 

"  I  shall  try  to  play  Rip  exactly  as  my  father 
did.  No  one  else  knows  so  well  how  he  played 
the  part,  nor  watched  him  so  closely,  and  for  so 
long  a  time.     Besides,  he  wanted  me  to  play  it." 

Relating  his  experience  to  one  who  had  been 


292     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

present  upon  that  occasion,  Mr.  Jefferson  said: 
"When  I  played  the  part  for  the  first  time 
after  my  father's  death,  I  had  his  ideal  ever 
before  me.  I  seemed  to  feel  his  presence,  and 
I  know  I  must  have  been  very  much  like  him  in 
my  acting,  as  several  members  of  my  family 
recognised  the  similarity  and  declared  it 
brought  father  back  to  them  most  forcibly.  One 
line  especially  seemed  to  unnerve  me  com- 
pletely; I  could  not  finish  the  sentence,  but 
turned  and  walked  up  the  stage.  It  was  the  line 
in  the  last  act,  *  Are  we  so  soon  forgot  when  we 
are  gone?'" 

"  Indeed,  I  noticed  it! "  exclaimed  the  one  to 
whom  Mr.  Jefferson  was  relating  the  circum- 
stance. "  Everyone  in  the  house  was  wiping  the 
mist  from  his  eyes,  but  I  thought  it  the  natural- 
ness of  true  art."  i 

Tears  glistened  in  Tom  Jefferson's  eyes  and 
his  voice  quivered  as  he  spoke.  "  It  was  the 
feeling  without  the  art;  it  was  nature.  The  rule 
in  acting  is  that  you  must  never  lose  yourself. 
That  time  I  did." 

It  was  a  study  that  first  night  In  Boston  to  see 
the  effect  the  acting  of  the  son  of  its  idealised 
favourite  had  upon  the  public.  They  gave  him 
a  royal  welcome,  and  then  settled  back  in  their 
seats,   strangely   quiet — thinking — comparing — 


Photograi.h  l.y  Th..ina*  Jeffrrsoii 

AN   INHERITANCE 

PROPERTIES    AND    COSTUME    USED    BY   JOSEPH    JEFFERSON    IN    RIP   VAN    WINKLE 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  293 

questioning — "Did  his  father  do  it  like  that?" 
until  the  famous  toast,  "  Here's  your  good  health 
unt  your  family's,  unt  may  they  all  live  long 
unt  pros "  As  the  last  words  were  swal- 
lowed in  the  cup,  the  house  woke  up  and  broke 
into  spontaneous  rounds  of  applause. 

"A  worthy  son  of  a  worthy  sire,"  was  the 
unanimous  verdict  of  the  press  the  following 
morning. 

In  the  Washington  Post  of  Sunday,  Decem- 
ber 24th,  1905,  appeared  the  following  from  the 
pen  of  Marie  B.  Schrader: 

Seldom  does  an  actor  set  himself  so  difficult  a  role  as 
that  undertaken  by  Thomas  Jefferson,  in  acting  a  part  en- 
deared to  the  public  because  of  its  association  with  his 
father.  For  many  years  we  have  cherished  the  belief  that 
there  was  only  one  Rip,  and  there  could  never  be  another. 
It  would  be  sacrilege  for  any  one  else  to  attempt  to  play 
the  lovable  vagabond.  .  .  .  Then  came  the  formal 
announcement  that  Thomas  Jefferson  would  play  Rip,  and 
the  public  was  astonished  at  his  temerity  in  so  soon  assum- 
ing his  father's  greatest  role. 

The  effect  of  this  apparent  audacity  was  varied  in  dif- 
ferent cities.  Boston  was  very  kind  and  opened  its  arms 
to  the  son  of  its  favourite.  Other  cities  followed  in  ap- 
proval. Washington  has  been  especially  cordial  in  its  re- 
ception.    Not  so  New  York There  he  was 

greeted  as  an  usurper — the  man  who  dared  without  the 
right  to  do.  If  his  acting  carried  out  his  father's  ideas,  he 
was  criticised  for  his  imitation.  If  he  departed  from  the 
tradition  of  the  role,  he  was  scolded  for  his  presumption. 


294     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

In  speaking  of  the  reception  given  him  in 
New  York  upon  his  taking  up  the  sacred  trust 
bequeathed  him  by  his  father,  Mr.  Jefferson 
said  in  an  interview  with  the  New  York  Herald, 
October  15th,  1905: 

"  I  am  more  than  glad  to  do  it.  I  am  proud 
and  happy  to  be  the  son  of  my  father — but  I 
must  take  the  consequences,  which  I  do  will- 
ingly. It  means  critical  and  minute  compari- 
son, which  is  always  odious,  and  in  this  case 
particularly  so.  I  was  eclipsed  by  the  shadow 
of  my  father's  personality.  Those  who  sat  in 
front  thought  of  my  father  all  the  time.  They 
pictured  him  in  their  mind's  eye — while  what 
they  really  saw  was  myself.  Naturally  they 
said,  'Oh,  pshaw,  he  is  not  his  father!'  and 
then  they  grew  angry  with  me  because  I  was  my 
father's  son.  If  ever  I  become  as  great  an  actor 
as  my  father  was,  I  shall  not  be  known  as  Joseph 
Jefferson's  son,  but  he  will  be  known  as  my 
father.  No  one  knows  better  than  I  do  how 
faithful  Americans  are  to  their  favourites,  and 
I  also  know  that  it  may  take  years  to  dim  the 
recollection  of  a  great  actor's  own  particular 
work.  I  am  willing  to  wait,  with  the  hope 
that  when  the  time  comes,  the  public  will  be 
willing  to  take  me  on  my  own  individual  merit." 

Thomas  Jefferson  has  undergone  a  severe  or- 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  295 

deal  in  attempting  to  establish  himself  in  his 
father's  role — people  found  fault  with  him  for 
doing  the  very  things  for  which  his  father  was 
responsible.  For  instance,  Mr.  Joseph  Jeffer- 
son would  frequently  drop  his  dialect  and  noth- 
ing would  be  said  about  it,  but  if  his  son  chanced 
to  do  the  same,  there  would  be  a  general  pro- 
test. It  has  been  said  that  Joseph  Jefferson  was 
an  old  man  playing  a  young  man's  part,  while 
his  successor  is  a  comparatively  young  man 
playing  an  old  man's  idea  of  a  young  man.  As 
it  was  his  father's  wish  that  he  should  play  the 
part  after  his  death,  it  can  be  imagined  what  it 
means  to  Joseph  Jefferson's  son  to  fulfil  this 
request.  If  it  has  dear  associations  for  those 
who  attend  the  theatre,  how  many  and  how  close 
must  be  those  associations  to  him! 

"  It  is  not  entirely  a  part  I  am  playing,"  says 
Thomas  Jefferson,  "  it  is  a  sacred  trust.  I  have 
had  the  approval  and  encouragement  of  hun- 
dreds of  my  father's  warmest  friends,  who  have 
been  kind  enough  to  tell  me  that  they  enjoyed 
my  Rip,  often  when  they  did  not  expect  to,  be- 
cause of  old  associations.  For  instance,  my 
father's  oldest  and  closest  friend,  Mr.  William 
Winter,  congratulated  me  upon  my  success,  but 
said  that  he  could  not  himself  witness  the  per- 
formance.   He  writes: 


296     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

Mentone,  California, 
Oct.  5th,  1905. 
Dear  Mr.  Jefferson: 

I  have  read  with  pleasure  the  splendid  articles  published 
in  the  newspapers  of  Boston  commending  your  performance 
of  Rip  Van  Winkle,  and  I  beg  to  offer  my  hearty  congratu- 
lations on  your  success.  You  will,  I  am  sure,  readily  un- 
derstand that  I  would  not  care  to  have  the  image  of  your 
father's  great  impersonation  disturbed  in  my  remembrance, 
but  also  you  will,  I  am  sure,  believe  that  I  am  greatly  re- 
joiced in  the  prosperity  and  advancement  of  his  son.  You 
have  a  new  public  to  address  and  you  need  not  concern 
yourself  with  us,  the  veterans  who  are  passing  from  the 
stage.  God  bless  you.  "  The  King  is  dead.  Long  live 
the  King." 

AfiFc.  yours, 
William  Winter. 
Thomas  Jefferson,  Esq. 

Dr.  G.  L.  Morrill,  pastor  of  the  People's 
Church,  Minneapolis,  Minn.,  and  chaplain  of 
the  Actors'  Church  Alliance,  writes: 

Minneapolis,  3-7-1906. 
Mr.  Thomas  Jefferson, 
My  Dear  Sir: 

I  have  just  returned  from  your  splendid  rendition  of  Rip 
Van  Winkle.  It  took  me  back  to  the  days  of  my  boyhood 
when  I  first  went  to  the  theatre  and  saw  your  father  in  the 
same  character. 

You  have  not  only  inherited  the  "  properties  "  he  wore, 
but  his  genial  and  genius-like  spirit  as  well.  To  this  you 
have  added  your  own  originality,  which  pleased  the  old 
generation  of  theatre-goers  as  well  as  charmed  the  new. 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  297 

I  feel  sure  the  glorified  soul  of  your  late  loved  and  la- 
mented father  looks  with  admiration  on  your  work. 

Though    dead    he    speaks    through   your    lips     the    most 
eloquent  and  effective  sermon  on  temperance  ever  preached. 
That   you   and   yours  may  "  live   long  and   prosper "   is 
the  sincere  wish  and  prayer  of  me  and  mine. 

Very  Truly  Yours, 
G.  L.  Morrill. 

Ex-President  Grover  Cleveland  also  wrote  to 
Mr.  Jefferson  saying  that  he  felt  that  he  could 
not  go  to  see  him  play  his  father's  part,  as  he 
wanted  to  remember  it  as  he  last  saw  his  friend 
play  it.  He  finally  consented  to  be  present  at 
the  Boston  opening,  but  was  prevented  from 
doing  so  by  the  death  of  a  distant  relative,  and 
sent  Mr.  Jefiferson  a  telegram  informing  him 
of  his  disappointment.  Some  weeks  later,  how- 
ever, he  wired  the  following  message: 

Princeton,  N.  J. 
Mr.  C.  B.  Jefferson,  Wallack's  Theatre,  New  York. : 

Dr.  Bryant's  family  and  my  own,  making  party  of  six, 
will  be  glad  to  attend  Wednesday  night,  the  nth.  Can 
you  send  box  seats  for  that  night? 

Grover  Cleveland. 

The  ex-President  afterward  admitted  that 
during  the  first  part  of  the  performance  he  felt 
very  anxious,  but  when  the  curtain  fell  upon 
the  third  act,  he  went  behind  the  scenes,  his  face 


298     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

aglow  with  pleasure,  and  personally  congratu- 
lated the  actor  on  his  performance. 

At  the  close  of  the  play  Mr.  Jefiferson  went 
to  the  box,  and  Mr.  Cleveland,  in  his  character- 
istic hearty  manner,  shook  hands  with  the  son  of 
his  old  friend,  saying: 

"You  are  all  right,  Tom!  You're  all  right! 
I  am  surprised  at  your  work,  and  I  know  that 
you  are  bound  to  succeed.  General  Fred  Grant, 
who  had  the  opposite  box,  came  to  visit  our  box 
after  your  '  kitchen  scene  '  and  said  he  thought 
you  better  in  that  act  than  your  father  was,  but 
I  told  him  I  wouldn't  stand  for  that,  Tom, — not 
better,  you  know." 

A  few  days  later,  after  a  meeting  of  the 
Equitable  Life  Association  Company,  of  which 
Mr.  Cleveland  was  a  trustee,  the  ex-President 
was  met  by  a  number  of  newspaper  reporters, 
who  wished  to  interview  him  on  the  result  of 
the  meeting.  What  he  said  to  them  is  given 
below: 

"  Ex-President  Cleveland  had  a  few  words  to  say  in  New 
York  city  a  few  days  ago  after  the  adjournment  of  the 
meeting  of  the  trustees  of  the  Equitable  and  before  his 
departure  for  Princeton.  He  good  naturedly  waved  aside 
an  inquiry  as  to  the  business  transacted,  merely  saying  that 
a  statement  concerning  that  subject  would  be  published. 

"  In  complete  contrast,  he  betrayed  much  interest  when  his 
presence  at  Wallack's  Theatre,  on  Wednesday  evening,  and 


Photo  by  Psoh 


THOMAS   JEFFERSON 

AS   RIP   VAN   WINKLE    (fIRST   ACt) 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  299 

the  production  of  Rip  Van  Winkle  by  Thomas  Jeffer- 
son were  mentioned.  He  said,  with  considerable  enthusiasm : 
Yes,  I  was  there,  and  I  saw  one  of  the  best  and  most 
remarkable  performances  I  have  seen  for  years.  I  had 
supposed  that  my  great  love  for  Joseph  Jefferson  as  a  man 
and  friend,  and  my  unbounded  admiration  of  him  as  an 
actor  would  somehow  interfere  with  my  warm  approval  of 
anyone  else  who  should  undertake  the  role  of  poor  old  Rip. 
If  I  had  consciously  or  otherwise  allowed  such  a  condition 
to  grow  up,  it  was  speedily  dispelled  last  Wednesday  even- 
ing, when  I  saw  the  son  of  the  creator  of  the  character  of 
Rip  Van  Winkle  portray  that  part  in  loving  imitation,  in 
conscientious  strife  toward  his  father's  perfection,  and  with 
individual  and  personal  cultivated  characteristics.  I  am 
sure  I  cannot  be  mistaken  when  I  say  that  on  its  independ- 
ent merits,  as  well  as  from  every  collateral  standpoint, 
those  who  love  the  theatre  cannot  fail  to  be  pleased  with 
Thomas  Jefferson's  representation  of  a  character  deeply 
seated  in  the  affections  of  the  American  people.'  " 

In  token  of  his  appreciation  of  the  kindness 
of  Thomas  Jefferson  during  the  convalescence 
from  an  illness,  while  a  guest  at  the  house  of 
Joseph  Jefferson — when  the  physician,  Dr. 
Bryant,  had  been  called  away  to  New  York  be- 
fore his  illustrious  patient  was  able  to  leave  his 
room — the  ex-President  sent  "Tom"  a  photo- 
graph of  himself,  with  the  following  letter: 

Dear  Tom: 

My  friends  think  a  recent  photograph  of  me  taken  by 
Pach   Brothers  of  New  York  is  the  best  one  ever  taken 


300     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

there,  so  I  sent  for  one  in  order  to  keep  my  promise  to  you. 
I  did  not  feel  justified  in  monopolising  too  much  space,  and 
yet  I  did  not  wish  to  give  you  a  little  bit  of  a  thing.  I 
therefore  gave  instructions  to  send  a  picture,  say,  lo  to  12 
inches  square.  On  my  return  from  an  excursion  last  night 
I  found  here  the  big  thing  which  I  have  just  directed  to 
you  by  express,  and  which  leaves  to-morrow. 

I  just  want  you  to  know  that  I  did  not  intend  to  claim 
so  much  room  in  your  house,  though  I  do  claim  all  I  can 
get  of  your  kindly  remembrance. 

Yours  sincerely, 
Grover  Cleveland. 
Thomas  JefEerson,  Esq. 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  301 

CHAPTER  XIII 

BIOGRAPHY 

O  thou  that  sendest  out  the  men 

To  rule  by  land  and  sea, 
Strong  mother  of  a  Lion-line, 

Be  proud  of  those  strong  sons  of  thine. 

Tennyson   (To  England.) 

THAT  which  Mr.  Jefferson  failed  to  re- 
late regarding  his  ancestry,  in  the  his- 
tory he  gave  of  his  life,  Mr.  William 
Winter  has  given  extensively  and  w^ith  scrupu- 
lous exactitude  in  his  w^orks  on  the  subject,  in 
w^hich  he  traces  the  Jefferson  lineage  back  to 
the  eighteenth  century,  when  Thomas  Jefferson 
was  a  friend  of  David  Garrick,  the  greatest 
actor  of  his  time.  It  was  in  1746  that  this  young 
man,  on  one  of  his  father's  farm  horses,  rode  to 
London  town,  and  there  met  Garrick,  who, 
struck  with  his  genius,  urged  his  accepting  a 
position  in  his  company,  although  young  Jef- 
ferson was  but  eighteen  years  of  age.  This  was 
the  foundation  of  the  Jefferson  family  of  actors. 
This  ancestor  never  visited  America,  but  his 
son  Joseph,  born  at  Plymouth,  England,  in 
1774,  came  to  America  and  made  his  first  ap- 
pearance at  the  Federal  Street  Theatre,  Boston, 


302     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

in  1795.  He  was  afterwards  connected  with 
the  Chestnut  Street  Theatre,  Philadelphia,  for 
twenty-seven  years,  and  died  at  Harrisburg, 
Pa.,  in  1832.  This  was  the  grandfather  of 
"our"  Joseph  Jefferson.  Judge  Gibson,  Chief 
Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Pennsylvania, 
1816-1853,  appeared  to  have  a  very  special  re- 
gard for  the  elder  Jefiferson  (Joseph  the  First), 
concerning  which  Mr.  Wood  in  his  "  Personal 
Recollections  of  the  Stage"  refers  to  at  some 
length. 

"  The  unostentatious  act  of  two  judges  of  the 
Supreme  Court  would  never  have  been  known 
to  the  world,"  says  Mr.  Thomas  P.  Roberts  in 
his  "  Memories  of  John  Bannister  Gibson,"  "  had 
it  not  been  for  Mr.  Wood's  publication.  Mr. 
Wood  says  in  his  '  Recollections ' : 

" '  His  [Joseph  Jefferson's]  grave  remained 
for  many  years  unmarked  by  the  slightest  me- 
morial. The  visitor  to  those  grounds  has  often 
since  been  attracted  by  a  beautiful  monument 
to  his  memory,  without  at  all,  it  is  likely,  know- 
ing the  history  of  its  erection. 

"'It  is  a  source  of  great  pleasure  for  me  to 
have  an  opportunity  of  recording  an  act  of 
humanity  and  feeling  which  its  most  unostenta- 
tious author,  I  am  sure,  never  recorded  for 
himself.    It  will  be  found  in  the  following  let- 


MR.  JOSEPH    WARREN  JEFFERSON   AS  SIR    LUCIUS  O'TRIGGER 

MRS.    JEFFERSON    (BLANCHE    BENDERj    AS   LUCY 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  303 

ter  to  me  by  the  late  Chief  Justice  Gibson  of 
Pennsylvania,  a  man  whose  great  power  of  in- 
telligence and  whose  vast  service  in  the  admin- 
istration of  the  judicial  affairs  of  Pennsylvania 
for  m.ore  than  thirty  years  have  received  the 
homage  of  the  profession  everywhere  .  .  .  .. 
He  took  the  most  lively  interest  in  dramatic 
literature  and  dramatic  representations  gener- 
ally, and  so  far  as  the  requirement  of  his  high 
judicial  station  made  it  decorous  was  a  pa- 
tron of  our  theatrical  representations,  in  those 
days  of  propriety  and  order  when  the  theatre 
was  a  place  through  which  even  the  judicial 
ermine  might  pass.' 

"Letter  from  Judge  Gibson  to  Mr.  Wood: 

Harrisburg,  June  25th,  1843. 
My  Dear  Sir: 

My  brother,  Judge  Rodgers  and  myself  design  to  lay 
a  marble  slab  over  the  remains  of  the  late  Mr.  Jefferson 
in  the  Episcopal  churchyard  at  this  place,  and  we  stand 
in  need  of  information  in  respect  to  one  or  two  particulars. 
Below  you  will  find  a  copy  of  the  contemplated  inscription 
sketched  by  me  this  evening.  Might  I  request  that  you 
would  note  whatever  is  amiss  in  it,  and  suggest  any  amend- 
ments of  which  it  is  susceptible.  I  think  I  am  right  in  Mr. 
Jefferson's  baptismal  name,  but  I  am  at  a  loss  for  the 
year  of  his  death.  His  son,  or  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Chap- 
man, if  she  still  lives,  could  supply  the  deficiency,  but  I 
know  not  where  either  of  them  are  to  be  found. 

I  look  back  with  great  pleasure  on  the  days  when  my 


304     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

relish  for  theatricals  had  the  freshness  of  youth,  and  when 
the  stage  was  a  classic  source  of  its  gratification.  To  the 
memory  of  Mr.  Jefferson,  who  with  others  beguiled  Judge 
Rodgers  and  myself  and  the  play-going  public,  of  many  a 
heavy  moment,  we  owe  a  debt  of  gratitude  which  we  are 
anxious  to  repay. 

Very  truly,  dear  sir, 

Your  friend  and  servant, 

John  Bannister  Gibson. 
William  B.  Wood,  Esq. 

"The  epitaph  enclosed  in  the  letter: 

Beneath   this   marble 
are  deposited  the  ashes  of 
Joseph  Jefferson, 
an  actor  whose  unrivalled  powers  took  in  the  whole 
range   of   comic    character,   from    pathos   to   soul- 
speaking   mirth.      His   colouring   of   the  part  was 
that  of  nature  enriched  with  the  finest  conc(>ptions 
of  genius.     He  was  a  m,ember  of  the   Chestnut 
Street   Theatre  in  its  most  high  and  palmy  days 
And  the   compeer 
of  Cooper,  Wood,  Warren,  Francis 
and  a  long  list  of  worthies, 
who,  like  himself,  are  remembered  with  admira- 
tion   and   praise. 
He  was  a  native  of  England,  with  an  unblemished 
reputation  as  a  man.     He  closed  his  career  of  pro- 
fessional success  in  calamity  and  affliction  at  this 

place  in  the  year  1832. 

'  I  knew  him  well,  Horatio,  a  fellow  of  infinite  jest 

and  most  exuberant  fancy.' ^* 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  305 

In  1882  Jefferson  saw  the  grave  of  his  grand- 
father for  the  first  time.  He  was  filling  an  en- 
gagement in  Harrisburg  and  the  day  was  bit- 
ter cold.  With  a  hatchet  and  chisel  he  removed 
the  ice  from  the  slab  and  with  tears  in  his  eyes 
read  the  beautiful  lines. 

Under  the  date  of  April  30th,  1887,  a  corre- 
spondent of  the  Cincinnati  Gazette,  writing 
from  Harrisburg,  feelingly  describes  another 
visit  paid  by  Mr.  Jefferson  to  the  tomb;  upon 
which  occasion  he  was  accompanied  by  his  sons: 

"The  figure  of  a  man  familiar  to  Harrisburg 
theatregoers,  and  to  every  theatregoer  in  the 
United  States,  strolled  about  the  labyrinthine 
walks  of  Mt.  Kalmia  Cemetery  a  few  days  ago 
when  the  sun  was  brightest  and  warmest.  He 
wandered  from  grave  to  grave  closely  scanning 
the  inscription  on  the  marble  slabs  until  he  came 
to  a  lowly  tomb  that  stands  between  twin  oaks 
so  tall  that  they  seem  to  pierce  the  sky.  *  Here 
it  is,'  he  said  to  a  companion;  'the  surround- 
ings have  somewhat  changed,  but  here  is  the 
same  iron  fence,  and  there'  (pointing  to  the  in- 
scription on  the  slab  that  covered  the  tomb) 
'is  the  epitaph,  one  of  the  greatest  compositions 
in  the  English  language.' 

"The  speaker  was  Joe  Jefferson,  the  actor, 
visiting  the  grave  of  his  father  [grandfather], 


3o6     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

who  is  remembered  by  the  old  inhabitants  of 
the  country,  and  whose  funeral  here,  more  than 
half  a  century  ago,  was  attended  by  the  most 
prominent  men  in  the  State.  The  grave  of  this 
once  prominent  actor  is  covered  with  a  slab  on 
which  is  the  epitaph  composed  by  John  Ban- 
nister Gibson." 

This  grave  is  not  only  kept  orderly,  but  is 
frequently  covered  with  flowers  by  residents  of 
Harrisburg  through  the  affection  held  by  them 
for  the  grandson  of  the  actor. 

Jefferson  the  third  was  born  in  Philadelphia 
in  1804.  He  inherited  his  father's  dramatic 
talent.  He  married  Cornelia  Francis  Thomas, 
who  was  the  reigning  singer  in  America  at  that 
time.  Of  her  voice  Ireland  says:  "Its  tones 
were  exquisite.  She  possessed  power,  purity, 
and  sweetness  and  was  unapproached  by  any 
contemporary." 

Among  the  many  interesting  places  in 
Charleston,  S.  C,  stands  the  old  Pringle  man- 
sion, many  years  the  home  of  the  Pringle  fam- 
ily, with  whom  Cornelia  Thomas  lived  as  an 
adopted  daughter.  Mrs.  Rose  M.  Pringle,  now 
over  eighty  years  of  age,  still  lives  in  the  fine 
old  home,  in  which  the  draperies  and  furnish- 
ings of  a  hundred  years  ago,  testify  to  the  qual- 


Photo  by  Bangs,  New  York 


WILLIAM    WINTER  JEFFERSON 

AS    BOB    ACRES 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  307 

ity  of  the  material   and  workmanship   of   the 
period  in  which  they  were  made. 

In  compliance  with  the  request  made  to  her 
by  the  writer,  Mrs.  Pringle  has  related  the  in- 
teresting story  of  the  adoption  of  the  mother  of 
Joseph  Jefferson,  as  she  heard  it  related  by  her 
own  mother: 

Charleston,  S.  Carolina. 
My  Dear  Mrs.  Jefferson: 

As  you  request,  I  have  written  an  account  of  my 
mother's  (Mrs.  James  Reid  Pringle)  adoption  of  Mr. 
Joseph  Jefferson's  mother,  Cornelia  Francis  Thomas,  of 
whom  she  always  spoke  with  great  affection.  I  have  seen 
many  newspaper  notices  of  the  connection  of  Mr.  Jeffer- 
son's mother  with  a  Charleston  family  which  have  been 
inaccurate  in  many  respects,  but  I  have  never  attempted  to 
correct  them,  as  our  family  have  always  avoided  newspaper 
notoriety. 

I  have  always  taken  a  great  interest  in  Joseph  Jeffer- 
son's success,  and  on  one  of  his  visits  to  Charleston  one  of 
my  nephews  took  me  to  see  him  in  his  wonderful  portrayal 
of  Rip  Van  Winkle. 

Since  the  late  war  circumstances  have  compelled  me  to 
live  a  retired  life,  and  so  I  found  no  opportunity  of  be- 
coming acquainted  with  Mr.  Jefferson. 

It  was  about  the  year  1807  that  Mrs.  James  Reid 
Pringle  (then  Mrs.  E.  M.  McPherson)  was  attracted  by 
the  grace  and  pleasing  manners  of  a  little  girl  who  came 
daily  to  play  in  the  unoccupied  piece  of  land  adjoining  her 
residence.     One  day  she  called  the  little  girl  to  her  and 


3o8     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

learned  that  her  name  was  Cornelia  Thomas  and  that  her 
father  held  a  position  at  the  theatre,  which  was  in  Broad 
street.     (This  theatre  was  burned  some  years  later.) 

Finding  that  the  little  girl  was  motherless — and  so  en- 
gaging and  lovable — Mrs.  McPherson  proposed  that  she 
should  come  to  her  every  day  to  be  taught  her  lessons,  which 
the  little  child  with  pleasure  agreed  to  do. 

Mrs.  McPherson  soon  became  much  attached  to  Cor- 
nelia and  proposed  to  the  father  to  allow  her  to  adopt  the 
little  one,  to  which  he  reluctantly  consented,  and  papers 
were  made  out  and  signed  to  that  effect. 

Cornelia  returned  the  affection  lavished  upon  her,  arid 
being  lovable  and  intelligent,  she  had  every  advantage  of 
education  given  her. 

At  the  time  of  the  marriage  of  Mrs.  McPherson  to 
Mr.  Pringle,  he  wished  to  have  Cornelia  come  from  school 
to  attend  the  wedding  of  her  mother  by  adoption,  and  for 
this  purpose  he  went  for  her  himself.  With  the  charming 
simplicity  which  was  her  chief  attraction,  Cornelia  said  to 
Mr.  Pringle:  "You  ought  to  be  a  very  good  gentleman  to 
marry  my  mother." 

As  she  grew  older,  Cornelia  developed  a  very  fine 
voice.  This  caused  her  father  to  wish  to  take  her  away, 
and  also  caused  so  much  trouble  and  discomfort  to  Cor- 
nelia that  it  was  considered  best  for  all  parties  that  Mrs. 
Pringle  relinquish  all  claims  to  the  dear  adopted  daughter. 
Mr.  Thomas  then  took  his  daughter  North  with  him, 

(Mr.  Thomas  had  lived  on  the  island  of  San  Domingo 
until  the  rising  of  the  negroes  In  1804,  when  he  made  his 
escape  through  the  assistance  of  a  loyal  slave.  He  went  to 
Charleston,  arriving  there  penniless  with  his  motherless 
child.) 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  309 

Mrs.  Pringle's  own  children,  hearing  their  mother 
speak  of  Cornelia  with  so  much  affection,  always  thought 
of  her  as  their  elder  sister.  Cornelia  married  Mr.  Charles 
Burke.  Her  magnificent  voice  and  her  acting  attracted 
much  attention,  but  Mrs.  Pringle,  with  her  old-fashioned 
ideas,  never  could  bring  herself  to  go  to  see  or  to  hear  her 
adopted  daughter  appear  in  public.  Once  when  upon  a 
visit  to  New  York,  where  Cornelia  (then  Mrs.  Burke) 
was  appearing  at  one  of  the;  theatres  with  her  husband,  the 
celebrated  comedian,  Cornelia  came  to  the  hotel  to  see  Mrs. 
Pringle,  and  at  her  request  sang  for  her,  attracting  the  at- 
tention and  admiration  of  the  guests  in  the  hotel. 

Cornelia  enjoyed  her  visit  with  her  adopted  mother, 
whom  she  had  not  seen  for  so  long  a  time,  and  inquired 
about  the  children  of  Mrs.  Pringle  as  though  they  had  been 
her  own  sisters  and  brothers — and  even  asked  after  each  one 
of  the  old  family  servants. 

Rose  M.  Pringle. 
Charleston,  S.  C, 

April  15th,  1908. 

Mrs.  Burke  had  two  children,  a  son,  whom 
she  named  after  his  father,  Charles,  also  a 
daughter,  lone  Burke.  She  lost  her  husband  in 
1824,  and  some  years  later  was  married  to 
Joseph  Jefferson,  by  whom  she  had  four  chil- 
dren, two  of  whom  died  in  infancy;  the  other 
two  were  Joseph  and  Cornelia  Jefferson. 

For  his  half-brother,  Charles,  young  Joseph 
had  an  unusual  and  deep  affection.  When  he 
was  about  seven  years  of  age,  his  sister  Cornelia 


3IO     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

was  born  in  Baltimore.  The  little  brother  and 
sister  used  to  appear  together  in  songs  and 
dances,  between  the  acts  of  the  plays. 

Of  his  sister's  talent  and  success  as  an  actress 
Mi;.  Jefferson  always  spoke  in  the  highest  praise. 
Had  it  not  been  for  a  misfortune  which  dis- 
figured her,  Cornelia  Jefferson  would  no  doubt 
have  been  famous.  She  married  and  had  one 
son,  Charles  Jackson,  who  became  a  very  clever 
actor. 

Mrs.  Jackson  had  retired  from  the  stage  for 
many  years,  when  her  brother  conceived  the  idea 
of  having  her  play  the  part  of  Tilly  Slowboy  in 
The  Cricket  on  the  Hearth  in  his  company. 

The  very  misfortune  which  had  ended  her 
career  in  early  life,  made  her  in  this  character 
the  very  ideal  of  Dickens'  thought,  and  al- 
though she  was  quite  deaf  and  nearly  sixty 
years  of  age,  she  took  the  part  to  perfection, 
notwithstanding  the  fact  that  her  "  cues "  in 
the  piece  had  all  to  be  given  to  her  by  gestures 
and  signs. 

Mr.  Jefferson  was  most  fond  of  his  little  sis- 
ter, whose  wit  and  humour  were  a  foil  for  his 
own;  she  frequently  accompanied  him  upon  fish- 
ing trips,  and  was  known  to  all  his  friends  as 
"Aunty  Con."  She  lived  near  her  brother  at 
Buzzards  Bay  until  just  before  her  death. 


Baker's  Art  Gallery,  Columbus,  O. 


CORNELIA  JACKSON 

AS  TILLY   SLOWBOY 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  311 

Three  of  Mr.  Jefferson's  sons  married  ladies 
of  the  dramatic  profession,  who  remained  upon 
the  stage  after  their  marriage. 

Only  one  other  woman  among  the  immediate 
members  of  the  family  adopted  the  stage  (and 
for  a  short  period  only),  although  Mr.  Jeffer- 
son frequently  urged  his  granddaughters  to 
make  the  stage  their  profession,  and  in  fact  en- 
couraged them  by  having  them  travel  with  him 
in  his  company,  appearing  in  the  ballroom 
scene  in  Lend  Me  Five  Shillings.  It  was  not 
a  success,  however,  for  the  young  ladies  were 
never  able  to  overcome  stage  fright.  They  not 
onlyhid  their  talent,  but  also  tried  to  hide  them- 
selves behind  scenery,  stage  furniture,  and — as 
one  declared — behind  the  tallest  "super"  she 
could  find!  With  one  exception  the  grand- 
daughters of  the  great  actor  failed  him. 

Lauretta,  the  youngest  daughter  of  Thomas 
Jefferson,  inherited  the  family  talent.  It  was 
the  wish  of  her  grandfather  that  she  play  the 
parts  of  Meenie  and  Tilly  with  him.  He  had 
seen  Lauretta  act  character  bits,  in  amateur  and 
social  entertainments  in  his  own  home,  and  de- 
clared the  "  divine  spark"  lived  again  in  her. 
But  her  father  felt  that  he  would  prefer  having 
his  daughter  appear  only  in  his  own  company. 

For  three  seasons  she  travelled,  playing  the 


312     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

part  of  Meenie  in  Rip ;  at  the  end  of  which  time 
the  young  girl  came  to  her  mother  (the  writer), 
and  placing  her  arm  affectionately  about  her 
neck,  she  said:  "Do  you  know  you  are  a  very 
wise  little  mother?  If  you  had  said  'no' — 
when  I  wanted  to  go  upon  the  stage,  I  should 
have  felt  that  you  had  forever  blighted  a  glori- 
ous career.  But  now  that  I  have  tried  it,  and 
know  it  all — 'home  and  mother'  for  me!" 

One  other  member  of  the  Jefferson  family, 
while  not  adopting  the  stage,  has  appeared  upon 
it,  and  obtained  some  newspaper  notoriety  upon 
her  debut.  Little  Miss  Josephine  Rolfe,  grand- 
daughter of  the  late  Charles  Burke  Jefferson, 
appeared  at  a  matinee  performance  during  a 
Boston  engagement  of  her  "  Uncle  Tom,"  who 
carried  her  upon  his  back  where  Rip  makes  his 
first  appearance  with  the  children  in  the  Vil- 
lage of  Falling  Waters. 

In  an  interview  given  by  this  young  lady  to 
the  Boston  Herald,  September  28th,  1905,  the 
six-year-old  debutante  frankly  stated  her  first 
impressions  of  the  stage  to  a  reporter.  It  was 
between  the  acts,  and  little  Miss  Josephine  was 
introduced  by  her  father.  In  reply  to  the  ques- 
tions asked  by  the  newspaper  man,  she  replied 
in  a  straightforward  manner. 

"  How  does  it  feel  to  be  an  actress?     Oh, 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  313 

fudge,  I'm  not  a  real  actress!  I'm  just  making 
my  first  appearance — and  it's  great!  I  wasn't 
the  least  bit  afraid,  and  the  audience  did  not 
seem  to  mind  me  a  bit.  Fluff — that's  my  nick- 
name for  him — I  mean  grandfather  Charlie — 
has  been  promising  for  a  long  time  to  let  me  go 
on  the  stage,  but  then  he  promises  so  many 
things  that  I  didn't  pay  much  attention  to  it. 
He  promised  me  a  doggie,  and  I'm  sure 
I  ought  to  have  one  if  I'm  going  to 
play  with  Rip.  You  know  he  has  a  dog 
called  Schneider.  No,  I  never  saw  Schneider, 
but  I  think  Gretchen  is  awful  cruel  the  way  she 
beats  him.  I  don't  want  to  play  that  part,  for 
I  couldn't  be  unkind  to  doggie,  and  I  don't 
want  to  play  Meenie.  I'd  like  to  play  Hendrik, 
for  I  think  he's  all  right — and  so  good  to  poor 
old  Rip  that  every  one  likes  him. 

"  I  suppose  it  will  be  a  long  time  before  I'm 
a  real  actress,  for  mother  says  I'm  too  young 
to  think  of  it  and  that  I  must  go  to  school.  When 
'Great'  was  alive  (her  great-grandfather 
Joseph  Jefferson)  I  used  to  see  him  act  Rip,  and 
Uncle  Tom  does  it  just  the  same." 

Little  Josephine  is  the  granddaughter  of  Pro- 
fessor William  J.  Rolfe,  Litt.  D.,  formerly  head 
master  of  the  high  school  at  Cambridge,  Massa- 
chusetts, and  a  famous  Shakespearean  authority. 


314     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

Charles  and  Thomas  were  sons  by  Mr.  Jef- 
ferson's first  wife,  Margaret  Lockyer.  There 
were  also  two  daughters  by  this  marriage.  The 
eldest  became  the  wife  of  an  English  writer, 
Benjamin  L.  Farjeon,  and  resides  in  London 
with  her  children,  three  sons  and  a  daughter. 
(Her  eldest  son,  Harry,  won  several  scholar- 
ships, and  is  the  youngest  professor  in  the  Lon- 
don Conservatory  of  Music.  He  received  the 
honour  of  having  his  compositions  sent  to  the 
St.  Louis  Exposition,  representing  the  modern 
English  School  of  Harmony.)  Joseph  War- 
ren, William  Winter,  and  Frank  Jefferson  are 
sons  by  the  second  marriage. 

The  dramatic  instinct  descended  from  father 
to  sons  in  the  Jefferson  family.  Three  of  them 
have  undertaken  the  task  of  perpetuating  the 
family  name  in  the  old  plays  made  famous  by 
their  father. 

"We  all  had  to  learn  to  act,"  says  Thomas 
Jefferson,  "but  we  were  never  allowed,  at. the 
beginning  of  our  career,  to  use  the  name  of 
Jefferson.  We  usually  took  our  middle  names — 
mine  is  Lockyer,  but  I  do  not  use  it  for  profes- 
sional reasons.  We  all  had  to  start  at  the  bot- 
tom. No  climbing  up  any  other  way.  It  was 
always  a  case  of  beginning  with  the  supers  and 


Photo  bv  Clinelurit 


LAURETTA  JEFFERSON 

AS    MEENIE   VAN    WINKLE    (siXTH    GENERATION) 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  315 

carrying  a  spear — or  rather,  disguising  our 
individuality,  as  '  dwarfs '  in  the  mountain 
scene  in  Rip.  I  nodded  my  head  with  the 
rest  and  imagined  I  was  the  whole  '  show,'  and 
engaged  the  entire  attention  of  the  audience.  I 
felt  they  were  all  looking  at  me,  and  not  at  my 
father. 

*'We  had  to  earn  the  right  to  the  family 
name.  Father  regarded  that  as  too  sacred  a 
thing  to  be  bandied  about  among  a  group  of 
inexperienced  actors,  even  if  they  did  happen 
to  be  his  own  sons." 

Mr.  Jefferson  sent  Tom  to  Paris  to  complete 
his  education  and  to  study  the  French  method 
of  acting,  with  which,  however,  his  son  was  not 
impressed;  his  criticism  being  that  the  actors 
directed  their  attention  too  much  to  the  audi- 
ence. He  remained  five  years  in  Paris,  learn- 
ing to  speak  the  language  like  a  native,  almost 
to  the  exclusion  of  his  own.  Upon  leaving 
school,  he  went  to  Sheffield,  England,  to  obtain 
his  first  theatrical  engagement,  more  for  the  ex- 
perience than  anything  else.  He  played  for  a 
year  and  a  half  in  the  English  provinces,  his 
repertoire  being  as  varied  as  he  himself  was 
versatile.  From  "  My  lord,  the  carriage 
waits,"  he  played  anything  up  to  *'  leads,"  even 


3i6     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

upon  one  occasion  doing  a  specialty  act  upon 
roller  skates  under  the  imposing  title  of  Herr 
Spitzbergen — which  act  came  to  an  inglorious 
failure — or  rather  howling  success — when  he 
tripped  upon  a  ring  to  a  trap  door — unseen  in 
the  centre  of  the  stage — and  fell  headlong  in 
his  Russian  costume,  fur  cap  and  top  boots. 
With  a  yell  of  amusement  from  the  audience, 
the  short  career  of  Herr  Spitzbergen  ended; 
but  the  experience  did  the  young  actor  a  world 
of  good. 

After  his  return  to  America,  with  his  father, 
young  Jefferson  went  under  the  management  of 
Augustin  Daly,  and  also  appeared  in  Lester 
Wallack's  stock  company,  but  soon  gave  up  the 
stage,  devoting  himself  to  the  management  of 
his  father's  company,  until  the  opening  of  the 
theatrical  season  of  1898,  when  Joseph  Jefferson 
was  taken  seriously  ill. 

It  was  a  matter  of  a  few  hours  only  to  decide 
whether  the  expensive  company  engaged  for  the 
season  should  disband  or  fulfil  the  time  booked 
in  the  large  cities  throughout  the  country.  To 
disband  meant  the  cancelling  of  the  contracts 
of  the  artists  engaged,  including  Mrs.  John 
Drew,  Otis  Skinner,  Wilton  Lackaye,  and 
others,  thereby  throwing  them  out  of  a  season's 
engagement,  or  at  least  a  part  of  a  season.    It 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  317 

was  therefore  decided  to  continue,  with  the  sons 
of  the  star  in  their  father's  parts,  Thomas  to 
play  Rip,  William  to  act  the  part  of  Bob  Acres, 
and  Joseph,  Sir  Lucius  O'Trigger. 

Shortly  after  Charles  Jefferson  had  assumed 
the  management  of  the  company,  including  the 
triple  stars,  who  were  meeting  with  much  fa- 
vour upon  the  road,  he  received  a  letter  from 
his  father,  then  convalescing  at  Palm  Beach, 
enclosing  a  sketch  in  pen  and  ink,  which  he 
called  "  a  suggestion  for  a  three  sheet"  (poster), 
in  which  the  four  brothers  were  pictured  as 
though  performing  an  acrobatic  feat  in  a  circus! 

At  the  same  time  Mr.  Jefferson  also  wrote  a 
letter  of  encouragement  to  his  sons  in  approval 
of  their  good  work: 

Palm  Beach,  Jan.  ist,  '98. 
My  Dear  Boy: 

I  congratulate  you  all  on  the  success  of  your  under- 
taking. If  my  illness  has  been  the  means  of  giving  you  all 
the  opportunity  to  develop  your  talent,  I  have  not  suffered 
in  vain — though  I  hope  you  will  get  on  without  my  having 
to  repeat  the  dose — for  the  present  at  least. 

I  trust  that  you  will  go  on  earnestly  and  in  harmony. 
These  qualities  are  the  key-note  to  success  and  happiness. 
The  income  derived  from  our  own  labour  is  always  more 
gratifying  than  that  gained  from  any  other  source. 

There  is  no  reason  to  doubt  that  you  may  go  on  in  the 
present  course  with  great  pleasure  and  profit.    Toney  [Mrs. 


31 8     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

Jefferson]  is  as  much  pleased  as  I  am  at  the  good  news  of 
your  success,  and  joins  me  in  wishing  you  a  happy  New 
Year.  Your  loving  father, 

J.  Jefferson. 

A  year  or  so  later,  when  Joseph  and  William 
started  out  on  the  road  with  their  own  Rivals 
company,  their  father  wrote  to  them  from  Vir- 
ginia: 

Fort  Monroe,  Va. 

My  Dear  Will  and  Joe: 

I  again  congratulate  you  on  your  success.  Remember, 
ability  and  early  success  is  of  little  value  if  the  efifort  is  not 
continuous.  Actors  who  merely  play  for  their  own  amuse- 
ment, regardless  of  public  duty,  have  but  a  short  reign. 

From  all  I  hear  you  have  both  done  finely,  and  my 
advice  is  given  for  your  benefit,  not  mine. 

With  love, 
Your  father, 

J.J. 

From  his  lifelong  insistence  upon  his  well- 
known  rule  never  to  allow  vulgarity  or  impurity 
to  find  a  place  in  his  performances,  it  is  evident 
that  Joseph  Jefferson  considered  its  observation 
a  potent  factor  in  his  success. 

With  regard  to  his  rule  about  keeping  faith 
with  the  public,  he  many  times  said  that  to 
refund  the  money  at  the  box  office  does  not  sat- 
isfy the  disappointment  of  an  audience. 


c.ftT 


PEN   AND   INK  SKETCH    BY  J(>SEFH  JEFFERSON 

A   SL'GGESTIO.N    FOR    A    POSTER    MADK   TO    HIS   SONS    AT   IHE  TIME   OF  THEIR 
STARRING    TOUR 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  319 

In  speaking  of  success  upon  the  stage,  Mr. 
Jefferson  would  say:  "The  art  of  acting  must 
be  commenced  at  the  foundation,  or  the  super- 
structure can  scarcely  stand.  The  actor  to  be- 
come thorough  and  successful  must  put  out  of 
sight  his  own  individuality  and  become  identi- 
fied with  the  character  he  is  endeavouring  to 
represent." 


320     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 


CHAPTER  XIV 

FAITH  AND  REASON 

Be  ready  always  to  give  an  answer  to  every  man  that 
asketh  you  a  reason  of  the  hope  that  is  in  you. 

The  Bible. 

THE  question  is  frequently  asked,  Was 
Joseph  Jefferson  a  Spiritualist  or  an 
atheist,  or  was  he  a  Christian  Scientist? 

He  was  what  we  all  are,  whether  we  know  it 
or  not,  a  seeker  after  Truth.  He  was  seeking 
the  answer  to  that  great  question  which  has  re- 
echoed through  the  long  ages  and  which  still 
convulses  the  world;  that  question  asked  by 
Pilate,  the  governor,  of  the  lowly  Nazarene — 
"What  is  Truth?" 

Mr.  Jefferson  sought  at  different  times,  in 
different  ways — one  of  them  the  investigation 
of  Spiritualism — to  answer  for  himself  this 
question;  but  after  many  disappointments  and 
through  the  utter  inability  of  spiritism  to  give 
to  him  the  lasting  proof  which  he  was  seeking, 
he  gave  this  up.  He  found  that  there  was  noth- 
ing to  be  gained  in  the  belief  that  a  mortal 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  321 

changed  by  death  (which  we  are  told  is  the 
enemy)  into  a  spirit,  could  thereby  become  the 
agent  of  God's  government — foreshadowing  and 
prophesying  the  future,  for  evil  or  for  good.  He 
realised  the  transient  state  of  early  existence, 
and  felt  the  yearning  common  to  us  all — try  to 
hide  it  with  seeming  satisfaction  of  the  present 
though  we  may — that  yearning  which  is  the 
Immanuel — the  divine  nature  crying  out  to  as- 
sert itself — to  give  us  the  proof  which  that 
yearning  demands. 

Joseph  Jefferson  was  not  an  atheist,  as  any 
one  reading  his  poem  on  *'  Immortality"  will 
readily  understand.  This  poem,  as  Mr.  Jeflfer- 
son's  old  friend,  Mr.  E.  C.  Benedict,  relates, 
Mr. Jefferson  spoke  of  as  "doggerel"  which  he 
had  been  scribbling.  One  day  while  lunching 
with  him  on  board  of  his  yacht,  the  Oneida, 
with  Mr.  Grover  Cleveland,  the  conversation 
drifted  to  the  subject  of  a  future  life.  Mr. 
Jefferson  expressed  himself  as  very  grateful 
for  having  had  more  than  his  share  of  the  joys 
of  this  life,  and  as  being  prepared  to  meet  at 
any  moment  the  common  fate  of  all.  He  then 
recited  this  poem : 

IMMORTALITY 

Two  caterpillars  crawling  on  a  leaf 

By  some  strange  accident  in  contact  came; 


322     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

Their  conversation,  passing  all  belief, 

Was  that  same  argument,  the  very  same, 

That   has  been   "  proed   and   conned  "   from  man  to  man, 

Yea,  ever  since  this  wondrous  w^orld  began. 

The  ugly  creatures, 
Deaf,  dumb  and  blind. 

Devoid  of  features 
That  adorn  mankind. 
Were  vain  enough,  in  dull  and  wordy  strife, 
To  speculate  upon  a  future  life. 
The  first  was  optimistic,  full  of  hope; 
The  second,  quite  dyspeptic,  seemed  to  mope. 
Said  number  one,  "  I'm  sure  of  our  salvation." 
Said  number  two,  "  I'm  sure  of  our  damnation; 
Our  ugly  forms  alone  would  seal  our  fate 
And  bar  our  entrance  through  the  golden  gate. 
Suppose  that  death  should  take  us  unawares, 
How  could  we  climb  the  golden  stairs? 
If  maidens  shun  us  as  they  pass  us  by. 
Would  angels  bid  us  welcome  in  the  sky? 
I  wonder  what  great  crime  we  have  committed 
To  leave  us  so  forlorn  and  so  unpitied  ? 
Perhaps  we've  been  ungrateful,  unforgiving; 
'Tis  plain  to  me  that  life's  not  worth  the  living." 
"  Come,  come,  cheer  up,"  the  jovial  worm  replied, 
"Let's  take  a  look  upon  the  other  side; 
Suppose  we  cannot  fly  like  moths  or  millers. 
Are  we  to  blame  for  being  caterpillars? 
Will  that  same  God  that  doomed  us  crawl  the  earth, 
A  prey  to  every  bird  that's  given  birth, 
Forgive  our  captor  as  he  eats  and  sings 
And  damn  poor  us  because  we  have  not  wings? 
If  we  can't  skim  the  air  like  owl  or  bat, 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  323 

'A  worm  will  turn  '  for  a'  that.'  " 

They  argued  through  the  summer;  autumn  nigh, 

The  ugly  things  composed  themselves  to  die; 

And  so,  to  make  their  funeral  quite  complete, 

Each  wrapped  him  in  his  little  winding  sheet. 

The  tangled  web  encompassed  them  full  soon, 

Each  for  his  coffin  made  him  a  cocoon ; 

All  through  the  winter's  chilling  blast  they  lay, 

Dead  to  the  world,  aye,  dead  as  human  clay. 

Lo,  spring  comes  forth  with  all  her  warmth  and  love; 

She  brings  sweet  justice  from  the  realms  above; 

She  breaks  the  chrysalis,  she  resurrects  the  dead; 

Two  butterflies  ascend,  encircling  her  head. 

And  so  this  emblem  shall  for  ever  be 

A  sign  of  immortality. 

Mr.  Benedict  says  of  this  poem:  "  It  seems  as 
though  these  lines  construct  a  beautiful  bridge 
between  faith  and  reason." 

Reading  the  Bible  as  Mr.  Jefferson  did,  un- 
derstanding it  only  through  its  literal  sense,  he 
could  not  accept  the  changeable  God  he  had 
been  taught  to  find  therein;  One  who  could 
condemn  innocent  children  to  death  one  day  and 
repent  of  it  the  next;  a  God  of  wrath  "visiting 
the  sins  of  the  fathers  upon  the  children," — 
and,  like  many  others  who  quote  this  passage  of 
scripture,  he  would  stop  there,  not  having  the 
patience  to  finish  the  verse,  whose  meaning  is 
that  it  is  only  those  who  hate  good  that  have 
this  sin  visited  upon  themselves.  The  rest  of  the 


324     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

verse    declares    that   He    "  shows    mercy   unto 
thousands  who  keep  His  commandments." 

Mr.  Jefferson's  own  nature  was  infinitely 
sympathetic  and  loving.  He  could  not  con- 
ceive of  a  God  who  could  be  less  so  than  man. 
He  was  always  careful,  however,  not  to  offend 
others  with  his  religious  views.  He  believed 
that  the  highest  altruism  was  respect  for  the 
convictions  of  others,  especially  if  these  con- 
victions were  consistent  with  well-ordered 
lives. 

It  was  while  on  a  visit  made  to  Mr.  Jefferson 
at  his  home  at  Palm  Beach,  that  the  writer 
came  to  understand  him  better  than  ever  before. 
Having  the  opportunity  of  many  private  talks, 
she  could  study  more  closely  his  relations  with 
his  fellow-man,  and  his  recognition  of  brother- 
hood. He  was  much  interested  at  this  time  in  the 
study  of  menti-culture,  some  books  on  this  sub- 
ject having  been  sent  to  him  by  their  author.  Mr. 
Jefferson  knew  that  the  writer  had  been  saved 
by  the  power  of  divine  Mind  from  a  law  of 
heredity,  and  although  he  never  questioned  her 
in  regard  to  it,  no  one  can  witness  a  thing  of  that 
kind  without  being  obliged  to  think,  and  he  was 
thinking,  although  pride  of  intellect  forbade 
questioning.  He  would  frequently  appear  with 
one  of  these  books  on  menti-culture  in  his  hand, 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  325 

saying:  "I  want  you  to  hear  this,"  reading  a 
sentence  or  paragraph  from  the  book.  That 
which  seemed  to  impress  him  most  was  "  Fear 
and  worry  are  bad  habits  of  the  mind." 
"There I"  he  would  exclaim  in  a  voice  which 
challenged  while  it  appealed,  "  isn't  that 
good?"  The  reply  was  that  if  he  could  prove 
it,  it  certainly  was  very  good. 

It  is  proof  that  we  want;  theories  lack 
demonstration,  as  a  rule.  Referring  to  a  con- 
versation which  they  had  been  having  on  this 
subject  of  proof  a  few  days  before,  the  writer 
said  to  her  father-in-law,  "Wouldn't  you  like 
to  know  the  way  by  which  the  thinkers  of  to- 
day are  beginning  to  learn  the  solution  of  these 
great  problems — learning  to  answer  by  actual 
demonstration  the  question,  'What  is  Truth?'" 

He  only  shook  his  head  sadly.  "  No,  my 
dear,"  he  replied.  "No,  that  has  always  been 
my  trouble — no  one  could  ever  tell  me  anything 
— I  always  knew  it  all;  besides,  I'm  too  old 
now;  I  am  settled  in  my  beliefs,  and  I  don't 
want  to  be  disturbed. 

"  Talk  about  understanding  life,"  he  added, 
seizing  a  silver  card-receiver  that  lay  upon  the 
table  in  the  hall  where  he  stood,  "why,  physical 
science  has  proven  that  even  this  inanimate  ob- 
ject is  teeming  with  life;  that  it  is  composed  of 


326     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

particles  which  are  in  perpetual  vibration!" 
and  dropping  it  on  the  table,  he  abruptly 
walked  away.  If  he  had  only  had  the  patience 
to  listen — but  that,  he  said,  was  his  trouble — it 
could  have  been  proven  to  him  that  even  phys- 
ical science  had  not  yet  discerned  the  real  na- 
ture of  substance,  nor  the  difference  between 
Life  spelled  with  a  capital  "  L  "  and  life  spelled 
with  a  small  "  1."  That  the  one  is  God,  whom 
^^ to  know"  the  scripture  says  is  Life  (eternal), 
and  the  other  only  a  counterfeit,  which  can  be 
destroyed  in  countless  ways.  Life  as  God.  could 
never  be  destroyed,  and  this  is  the  test  between 
real  Life  and  its  counterfeit.  Pantheism.  Only 
as  we  prove  to  ourselves  that  Life  (,God)  is  the 
only  Creative  Principle,  can  we  disprove  the 
belief  that  it  can  also  be  the  destructive  prin- 
ciple. 

Mr.  Jefferson  took  a  keen  interest  in  Chris- 
tian Science  stories.  He  appreciated  the  humour 
as  well  as  the  principle  suggested  in  the  one 
about  the  dog,  who,  although  his  young  master 
was  a  Scientist,  would  get  into  fights  with  other 
dogs,  and  getting  pretty  badly  used  up  in  one  of 
these,  his  master  took  him  to  a  surgeon.  "  Why 
do  you  bring  your  dog  to  me?"  he  was  asked. 
"  I  thought  all  your  people  were  Christian 
Scientists."    "Yes,"  the  boy  replied.     "Yes — I 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  327 

know,  but "  "  Well,"  said  the  surgeon,  "  why 

don't  you  take  the  dog  to  a  Christian  Scientist 
for  treatment — eh?"  "Well — I — I  would,"  the 
boy  replied  sheepishly,  "  only  I — I'm  afraid  it 
will  take  all  the  fight  out  of  him!" 

Mr.  Jefferson  was  engaged  in  the  develop- 
ment of  the  city  of  West  Palm  Beach,  and  had 
large  business  interests  there,  which  demanded 
much  of  his  time  and  thought.  He  did  not  en- 
joy this;  his  nature  being  artistic,  rather  than 
commercial,  he  allowed  it  to  prey  upon  him. 
He  fell  ill,  a  fever  developed,  and  for  several 
days  he  was  in  bed,  a  doctor  in  attendance  twice 
a  day. 

Returning  to  the  house  late  one  afternoon, 
the  writer  was  told  that  Mr.  Jefferson  appeared 
very  ill.  She  was  asked  to  go  up  and  see  him. 
His  valet  and  a  member  of  the  household  were 
in  the  room,  and  they  pointed  to  a  seat  beside  the 
bed.  Mr.  Jefferson  opened  his  eyes,  disturbed  a 
little,  and  turned  his  head. 

Speakingly  cheerfully,  his  visitor  said: 
"Well,  sir!  you  are  feeling  better  to-night, 
aren't  you?"  "No,  my  dear,"  he  replied  in  a 
weak,  despondent  voice,  "  I  am  not  better,  Pm 
much  worsCj  and  my  feet  are  growing  cold." 

Detecting  the  fear  in  his  voice,  his  daughter- 
in-law  tried  to  destroy  it  by  saying,  "  You  know, 


S28     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

sir,  ever  since  I  have  been  here  you  have  been 
telling  me  what  a  fine  thing  menti-culture  was 
— haven't  you?  Now,  why  don't  you  apply  it? 
You  have  been  anxious  and  worried  over  busi- 
ness; and  this  anxiety  and  fear  have  expressed 
themselves  on  your  body;  believe  me,  that  is 
all  that  is  the  matter  with  you."  The  invalid 
brightened  up  at  once.  "Do  you  think  so?" 
he  said.  "I  know  it,"  was  the  reply.  "You 
would  be  all  right  if  you  would  only  stop  wor- 
rying!" "  I  believe  you  are  right,"  Mr.  Jeffer- 
son said.  "Then  stop  it,  sir;  you  can,  for  you 
say  you  believe  that  fear  and  worry  are  bad 
habits  of  the  mind;  and  now  is  the  time  to  prove 
it." 

"  Yes,"  he  replied  thoughtfully,  "  I  know  it  is, 
and  it  is  all  very  well  to  say  that,  when  you  are 
feeling  all  right — but  " — he  thought  a  moment 
— "  My  dear,  I  believe  that  Christian  Science 
could  help  me  now,  and  if  I  knew  where  a  prac- 
titioner might  be  found,  I  would  send  for  one." 
The  writer  asked  modestly,  "What  would  be 
the  matter  with  me,  father?"  He  looked  at 
her  wonderingly  with  those  keen  blue  eyes. 
"Could  you,  my  child?  Would  you  give  me 
a  Christian  Science  treatment?'* 

He  had  never  asked  and  had  never  been  told 
that  his  daughter-in-law  had  been  putting  into 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  329 

practice,  by  actual  demonstration,  her  under- 
standing of  the  ever-present  power  to  heal  the 
sick;  and  had  received  the  proofs — unmistak- 
ably, so  that  there  could  no  longer  be  any  doubt 
that  the  healing  power  had  indeed  been  redis- 
covered, though  seemingly  lost  for  so  long  a 
time.  It  was  made  clear  to  the  sick  man  that 
Principle — not  person — could  and  would  heal 
him,  through  this  understanding. 

One  or  two  members  of  the  family  had  en- 
tered the  room,  surprised  to  hear  Mr.  Jeffer- 
son engaged  in  conversation  and  talking  with 
so  much  animation.  He  turned  and  spoke  to 
them  in  a  voice  that  rang  with  anticipation  and 
hopefulness. 

"  I  want  you  all  to  go  out,  please.  I'm  going 
to  have  a  Christian  Science  treatment!" 

When  we  were  alone  he  reached  out  and  con- 
fidingly placed  his  hand  in  that  of  his  daugh- 
ter-in-law. "Now,"  he  said,  "what  are  you 
going  to  do?  Are  you  going  to  pray  for 
me?" 

He  was  told  that  a  Christian  Science  treat- 
ment was  prayer,  but  not  in  the  commonly  ac- 
cepted sense  of  pleading.  That  God  was  Love, 
and  if  divine  Wisdom  decreed  sickness,  could 
prayer  cause  the  Unchangeable  to  become  the 
changeable?    The  patient  was  asked  to  believe 


330     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

in  God  as  the  Universal  Father,  and  to  know 
that  this  Father  being  infinite,  His  children 
could  have  no  cause  to  be  worried  or  anxious 
over  anything. 

*'Wait  a  minute,  my  dear,"  he  interrupted, 
"let  me  understand.  God,  you  say,  is  Love — 
He  is  my  Father,  and  He  does  not  want  me  to 
be  anxious,  nor  sick.  Why,  of  course  not,  I 
would  not  want  my  child  to  be,  would  I?"  He 
turned  wistfully  towards  the  writer  with  such  a 
relieved,  trusting  expression  upon  his  face  that 
she  knew  her  part  of  the  work  would  be  simple. 
His  fear  was  broken,  his  thought  turned  away 
from  his  body,  and  his  trust  in  the  Unseen  es- 
tablished. Where  was  the  pride  of  intellect 
now?  It  was  not  there — only  a  childlike  re- 
ceptivity to  the  truth  of  his  being. 

In  less  than  a  half-hour  he  was  like  a  differ- 
ent man.  His  voice,  which  had  seemed  to  be 
"  all  gone,"  now  rang  out  with  that  vibrant 
quality  which  had  thrilled  thousands,  as  he 
called  to  those  in  the  next  room,  "  You  may 
come  in  now,"  and  when  they  entered,  he 
added,  "  I  am  no  longer  worried,  and  7ny  feet 
are  warm!  Now,"  he  said,  "  I  must  have  that 
book." 

The  writer  left  Palm  Beach  late  that  night 
after  seeing  Mr.  Jefferson  again,  and  she  left 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  331 

him  with  the  little  book  "  Science  and  Health," 
for  which  he  had  asked. 

It  was  a  day  or  so  before  the  first  letter  was 
received;  it  said  that  the  patient  had  rested  well 
that  night,  his  fever  being  reduced  to  a  harm- 
less fraction,  which  soon  disappeared  entirely. 
In  about  ten  days  he  had  resumed  his  profes- 
sional work  and  was  fulfilling  his  spring  en- 
gagements. 


332     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 


CHAPTER  XV 

LAUREL  WREATHS 

Go  thou — Intrepid — smiling — alone, 

And  when  thy  God  asks  record  of  thy  years, 

Render  up  before  His  mighty  throne 

Thy   people's   laughter — mingled   with    their   tears. 

Edith  Brownell. 

LOOKING  out  upon  the  ocean  which  he 
J  loved  so  well,  while  the  bells  were  ring- 
ing out  their  Easter  joy,  Joseph  Jeffer- 
son received  his  last  call. 

A  great  nation,  her  head  bowed,  her  eyes  wet 
with  tears,  drew  aside  the  curtain  for  this  final 
call; — but  there  was  no  answer.  The  curtain 
was  rung  down — the  play  was  over! 

"We  are  but  tenants.  Let  us  assure  ourselves 
of  this,  and  then  it  will  not  be  so  hard  to  make 
room  for  the  new  administration,  for  shortly 
the  great  Landlord  will  give  us  notice  that  our 
lease  has  expired." 

These  words — his  own — engraved  upon  a 
tablet  of  bronze  deeply  embedded  in  a  great 
boulder  of  rock,  mark  the  last  resting-place  of 
him   whom    "  None   knew   but   to   love."     At 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  ^33 

the  back  of  the  boulder  is  a  laurel  wreath,  also 
of  bronze,  and  beneath  this  were  placed  the 
wreaths  of  living  laurel  from  those  who  hon- 
oured him  throughout  the  land. 

We  laid  him,  in  all  simplicity,  at  his  own 
request — for  modesty  had  ever  characterised 
his  life — in  the  little  rural  burying-ground  on 
Cape  Cod, — close  to  the  heart  of  nature  which 
he  loved  so  well. 

Not  many  months  before,  England's  greatest 
actor  had  been  laid  to  rest  with  great  pomp 
and  ceremony  in  Westminster  Abbey,  the  hon- 
oured resting-place  for  sovereigns  and  those 
whose  service  to  their  country  in  all  lines  of  sci- 
ence and  art  had  been  greatest.  It  was  a  fitting 
resting-place  for  one  who  had  been  knighted 
by  his  King  for  his  noble  service  in  raising  the 
standard  of  the  drama. 

Joseph  Jefferson  had  also  received  a  title — 
he,  too,  had  been  knighted,  though  not  by  a 
king.  His  title  was  bestowed  upon  him  by  his 
brother  professionals  and  by  his  universal 
friend — the  public. 

It  has  been  said  that  Joseph  Jefferson  did  in 
America  what  Sir  Henry  Irving  had  done  in 
England  to  elevate  the  personality,  the  social 
and  intellectual  standing  of  the  actor  and  the 


334     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

stage,  effecting  in  a  lifetime  a  revolution  in  the 
attitude  of  the  people;  and  this  inscription, 
''The  Dean  of  the  Dramatic  Profession,"  was 
engraved  upon  the  loving-cup  presented  to  him 
by  his  brother  players. 

At  the  presentation  of  this  cup  at  the  Garden 
Theatre  in  New  York  the  speaker  who  made 
the  address,  Mr.  Frank  Mayo,  had  planned  to 
unveil  the  cup  at  the  end  of  the  presentation 
speech,  and  taking  it  in  his  hand,  to  give  the 
famous  and  familiar  toast  of  Rip,  "  Here's  your 
good  health,  and  your  family's,  and  may  they  all 
live  long  and  prosper!" — presenting  the  beauti- 
ful gift  to  Mr.  Jefferson;  but  when  the  cue  was 
given  to  have  the  cup  brought  upon  the  stage, 
three  men  appeared  bearing  it  and  bending  be- 
neath its  weight!  It  is  needless  to  say  Mr. 
Mayo  had  to  change  his  plan  of  action  some- 
what. 

Mr.  Laurence  Hutton,  who  was  sitting  be- 
hind Mr.  Jefferson  upon  this  occasion,  discov- 
ered a  straw  from  a  whisk-broom  sticking  to 
Mr.  Jefferson's  coat,  and  attempted  to  remove  it 
as  he  rose  nervously,  to  respond  to  the  enthusi- 
astic greetings  of  the  enormous  audience.  Mr. 
Jefferson  felt  the  action  and  turned  to  Mr. 
Hutton  with  an  inquiring  expression.  "  It  is 
nothing,"  Mr.  Hutton  explained,  "  only  a  straw 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  335 

on  your  shoulder."  With  a  nervous  laugh 
Mr.  Jefferson  said,  "  I  feel  as  if  I  had  a  load  of 
hay  on  my  back."  Then,  turning  to  the  audi- 
ence, who  cheered  him  for  fully  five  minutes 
before  allowing  him  to  speak,  he  accepted  their 
loving  gift  with  an  appreciation  and  genuine 
warmth  which  alternately  moved  them  to 
laughter  and  to  tears. 

The  cup  is  of  massive  silver;  the  handles 
represent  three  figures  of  Mr.  Jefferson  in  his 
favourite  characters  of  Rip,  Bob  Acres,  and 
Dr.  Pangloss,  but,  strange  to  say,  his  own  name 
had  been  omitted  and  the  cup  had  to  be  returned 
to  have  the  omission  corrected. 

The  loving-cup*  stood  twenty-two  inches 
high  and  above  the  inscription  was  the  familiar, 
but  frequently  misquoted,  toast  from  Rip  Van 
Winkle.    The  inscription  read: 

To  the  Dean  of  the  Dramatic  Profession, 
with  the  loving  greeting  and  affection  of 
his  brother  and  sister  players. 
Nov.  8th,  1895. 
He  touched  nothing  he  did  not  adorn. 

The  top  ornamentation  of  the  cup  comprised 
three  masks;  Tragedy,  Comedy,  and  Art — three 
figures  of  fame  entwined  with  a  wreath  of 
laurel.     The  cup  was  designed  by  W.   Clark 

*The  cup  presented  upon  this  occasion  was  a  model  of  the  silver 
cup. 


336     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

Noble,  and  made  in  sterling  silver  by  the  Gor- 
ham  Co.  It  was  so  large  that  frequently  Mr. 
Jefferson's  grandchildren  would  hide  in  it,  as 
it  stood  in  its  corner  at  his  home  at  Buzzards 
Bay.  The  cup  has,  since  his  death,  been  pre- 
sented to  the  Lambs'  Club  by  Mrs.  Jefferson. 

A  memorial  service  was  held  by  the  Players' 
Club  in  the  Church  of  the  Transfiguration  in 
New  York,  and  no  better  testimony  of  the  re- 
gard and  affection  in  which  he  was  held  could 
have  been  given  than  the  great  gathering  which 
came  to  pay  tribute  to  Mr.  Jefferson's  memory, 
the  capacity  of  the  building  being  taxed  to  its 
utmost.  Mr.  David  Bispham,  a  member  of  the 
Players',  volunteered  his  services  as  soloist,  and 
sang  Tennyson's  "Crossing  the  Bar."  Many 
letters  were  read  from  absent  friends. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  when  the  minister 
of  the  gospel — "good  will  towards  men" — 
refused  Joseph  Jefferson's  request  to  bury  his 
friend  George  Holland,  and  recommended  the 
little  church  around  the  corner,  he  unwittingly 
performed  an  important  christening. 

Mr.  Jefferson  grasped  more  tightly  the  hand 
of  the  dead  actor's  son,  who  had  accompanied 
him  upon  his  sad  errand,  and  left  the  inhos- 
pitable door,  murmuring,  "  God  bless  the  little 
church  around  the  corner." 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  2>Z7 

This  baptismal  blessing  rests  upon  the  Church 
of  the  Transfiguration  to  this  day. 

More  than  one  sermon  was  preached  from 
the  pulpit  at  the  time  of  his  death  on  this  sim- 
ple, loving  life,  and  it  was  truly  said  that  "  his 
pulpit  was  the  stage." 

Joseph  Krauskopf,  D.D.,  known  as  the 
"  Golden-tongued  Rabbi,"  of  the  Temple  Ken- 
eseth  Israel,  Philadelphia,  referring  to  the  good 
which  was  given  to  the  world  through  "  our 
own"  Joe  Jefferson,  said:  "Who  could  hear 
him  and  not  feel  kindlier  and  cheerier  towards 
his  fellow-man,  and  not  go  away  with  richer 
stores  of  pity  for  human  frailty?  Who  that 
ever  saw  him  in  Rip  Van  Winkle — and  what 
woman  or  child  of  the  present  or  past  genera- 
tion did  not  see  him  in  it? — failed  to  catch  the 
contagion  of  his  whole-souled  cheer  and  rugged 
optimism,  and  to  feel  that  if  but  the  heart  be 
right,  there  is  no  failing  in  human  nature  that 
merits  not  our  leniency,  no  shortcoming  that 
patient  forbearance  might  not  cure? 

"  We  need  the  theatre,  and  in  these  busy  days 
of  engrossing  excitements  and  temptations,  we 
need  the  play  more  than  ever,  as  a  guide  and 
admonisher, — as  a  cheerer  and  diverter  and  en- 
tertainer. We  need  to  see  the  book  of  life  un- 
folded upon  the  stage,  as  Jefferson  unfolded  it, 


338     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

and  to  read  there  that  the  road  of  the  trans- 
gressor is  hard,  that  righteousness  has  its  own 
reward,  that  the  God  of  Justice  reigns,  that 
retribution  never  fails,  that  innocent  laughter 
is  yet  more  wholesome  than  are  tears,  and  that 
cheer  of  heart  is  as  reverent  as  cheer  of  soul. 
We  need  the  kind  of  play  that  Jefferson  played, 
from  which  we  returned  to  our  homes  richer  in 
purpose,  fuller  in  love." 

Dr.  Emil  G.  Hirsch,  in  a  glowing  tribute  to 
the  American  stage,  at  the  end  of  his  discourse 
upon  "  Laughter,  and  Those  Who  Make  Us 
Laugh,"  said:  "Those  that  make  us  laugh  fully 
serve  their  purpose  in  life,  and  the  world  is 
better  by  far  for  their  being.  The  stage  is  ele- 
vating. For  three  generations  a  great  Rip  Van 
Winkle  made  us  laugh.  He  lifted  us  from  cares 
and  made  us  see  things  in  a  better  light.  He 
was  in  truth  a  consecrated  priest;  his  stage  was 
his  pulpit,  and  when  he  occupied  it  the  theatre 
was  his  temple.  The  true  stage  will  never 
recognise  the  vile — the  pure  who  enter  the  the- 
atre shall  leave  it  as  pure  as  they  were  when  they 
entered.     Life  is  not  all  in  Sunday-school!" 

WILLIAM   winter's  TRIBUTE 
(From  the  New  York  Tribune.) 

"  It  is  difficult  to  comprehend — it  is  almost 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  339 

incredible — that  a  force  so  vital,  a  life  so  beau- 
tiful, a  beneficence  so  precious  as  that  of  Joseph 
Jefferson,  has  come  to  an  end;  that  the  voice  of 
gentle  humour  is  hushed  forever,  and  the  face 
of  tender  sympathy  darkened  in  death.  But  so 
it  is — 'The  King  hath  fallen.  The  joy  of  his 
house  is  ceased' — 

Alas!  that  all  we  loved  of  him  should  be, 
But  for  our  grief,  as  if  it  had  not  been, 
And  grief  itself  be  mortal! 

"  The  comedian  had  been  so  long  in  the  serv- 
ice of  his  profession,  so  closely  entwined  with 
the  public  thought,  so  completely  an  integral 
part  of  the  general  experience,  that  he  had  be- 
come, as  it  were,  a  permanent  figure  in  our 
lives,  an  established  and  perennial  source  of 
pleasure  and  blessing,  and,  therefore,  expecta- 
tion of  his  disappearance  was  never  consciously 
entertained.  For  more  than  seventy  years  he 
had  been  on  the  stage,  and  for  at  least  forty  of 
those  years  he  had  occupied  the  most  conspicu- 
ous and  honourable  eminence  that  an  actor  can 
obtain.  In  almost  every  State  in  the  Union  his 
presence  was  familiar,  while  in  parts  of  South 
America,  Great  Britian,  and  Australia  he  was 
not  unknown.  He  had  travelled  and  acted  far 
and  wide,  never  obtruding  his  private  life,  but 
never   reserving   himself   from   the  knowledge 


340     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

and  affection  of  the  people.  Everywhere  his 
acting  was  accepted  with  delight.  Everywhere 
he  gained  devoted  friends.  Everywhere  he  was 
honoured  and  loved.  There  must  have  been  a 
potent  charm  in  the  personality  that  could 
achieve  this  universal  conquest,  maintain  this 
gentle  sovereignty,  and  diffuse  a  remembrance 
of  this  lovely  description.  His  own  idea  of 
popularity — often  made  known  in  his  conver- 
sation— specified  that  the  idol  of  the  public  is 
never  much  above  the  public  level;  but  surely 
the  popularity  that  he  possessed  was  not  alone 
that  of  average  human  sympathy  and  liking, 
but  that  of  deep  intuitive  respect  for  spiritual 
eminence  and  poetic  grace.  The  multitude 
might  not  have  been  able  to  give  its  emotion  a 
name,  but,  all  the  same,  its  emotion  existed.  No 
imitator  of  Jefferson  ever  gained  his  laurel; 
by  Jefferson  himself  it  was  never  lost. 

"  Upon  such  a  character  and  such  a  career 
the  voice  of  detraction — never  silent  as  to  any 
meritorious  person — could  say  but  little.  It 
sometimes  became  audible,  however,  in  the 
declaration  that  Jefferson's  artistic  faculty  was 
slight,  because  he  acted  only  one  or  two  parts, 
and  that  his  professional  ambition  was  narrow, 
because  he  never  undertook  any  special  busi- 
ness enterprise  to  promote  the  welfare  of  the 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  341 

stage.  This  charge  had  a  portentous  sound,  but 
it  had  no  basis.  In  the  maturity  of  his  powers 
and  his  renown  the  comedian  restricted  his 
repertory  to  a  few  characters,  but,  in  his  earlier 
time,  he  had  played  scores  of  parts;  one  authen- 
tic list  mentions  more  than  a  hundred  of  them; 
and  he  might  have  continued  to  play  scores  of 
parts,  had  he  not  learned  by  experience  that  it 
is  better  to  do  one  thing  thoroughly  well  than 
to  do  many  things  passably;  to  present  one 
model  of  perfect  art  rather  than  many  exam- 
ples of  good  artistic  intention.  The  principal 
characters  that  he  chose  were  Rip  Van  Win- 
kle, Acres,  and  Caleb  Plummer,  characters  that 
were  absolutely  congenial  to  him,  stirring  his 
nature  to  its  profoundest  depths  and  evoking  all 
the  resources  of  his  heart  and  mind.  Those 
characters  he  could  represent  to  perfection,  and 
the  observer  who  subjects  them  to  analytical 
examination  will  speedily  discern  that  they 
comprehend  many,  if  not  all,  the  representative 
extremes  and  contrasts  of  human  experience: 
youth  and  age,  love  and  hate,  charity  and  greed, 
wealth  and  poverty,  humour  and  pathos,  power 
and  weakness,  mirth  and  grief,  craft  and  sim- 
plicity, selfishness  and  self-sacrifice,  the  mate- 
rial and  the  spiritual,  and  the  natural  and  the 
preternatural.     It  will  also  be  perceived  that 


342     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

the  raiment  and  scenic  investiture  of  them  com- 
prise the  tatters  of  indigence  and  the  laces  of 
luxury;  the  cottage  and  the  drawing-room; 
manners,  both  humble  and  exalted;  and  phys- 
ical nature,  alike  in  calm  and  storm.  The 
range  of  Jefferson  as  an  actor  was,  in  fact,  re- 
markably broad;  and  for  the  rest,  it  should  be 
remembered  that  he  rendered  the  greatest  pos- 
sible service  that  any  person  can  render  to  the 
stage,  because  he  made  it  pure  and  honourable 
in  the  public  esteem  and  dear  to  the  public 
heart — and  kept  it  so.  All  over  the  land  the 
institution  of  the  theatre  was  strengthened  by 
him,  so  that  even  those  persons  w^ho  misuse  and 
degrade  it,  by  sordid  and  corrupt  speculation, 
possess  a  broader  field  and  an  ampler  oppor- 
tunity than  would  otherwise  exist,  for  what  they 
call  business  enterprise.  He  did  not  care  to 
manage  theatres  or  to  produce  new  plays.  He 
did  not  waste  himself  on  ventures  and  experi- 
ments. He  did  the  thing  that  he  could  do  best; 
and  the  stage  is  better,  and  the  world  is  hap- 
pier, because  of  what  he  was  and  what  he  ac- 
complished. 

"  *  Are  we  so  soon  forgot  when  we  are  gone?  ' 
Remembrance  of  those  words,  as  they  were 
spoken  by  Jefferson,  in  the  great  days  of  his 
Rip  Van  Winkle,  can  never  perish.    The  world 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  343 

does  easily  forget,  and  the  rapid  river  of  time, 
we  may  be  very  sure,  will  sweep  into  oblivion 
many  names  and  many  things  that  are  conspicu- 
ous now;  but  as  long  as  the  fame  of  gentle 
humour  is  prized,  and  as  long  as  kindness  and 
pity  remain  on  earth,  the  name  of  Joseph  Jef- 
ferson will  be  remembered,  because — like  the 
kindred  names  of  Lamb  and  Hood  and  Charles 
Dickens  and  Thackeray  and  Washington  Irv- 
ing— it  is  written  with  smiles  and  tears  upon  the 
everlasting  pages  of  the  human  heart." 

The  following,  from  the  pen  of  Mr.  Henry 
Watterson,  appeared  in  the  Louisville  Courier- 
Journal  May  17th,  1905,  written  from  Berlin: 

"  The  not  unexpected,  but  none  the  less  mel- 
ancholy, tidings  of  the  death  of  Joseph  Jeffer- 
son finds  me,  one  of  the  oldest  of  his  friends, 
loitering  among  the  highways  and  byways  of 
the  song-world  and  the  picture-world  he  loved 
so  well,  and  I  must  lay  aside  all  else  until  I 
have  discharged  my  heart  of  its  burden  of  mem- 
ory and  sorrow. 

"  During  nearly  fifty  years  his  life  and  my 
life  ran  close  upon  parallel  lines.  He  was 
eleven  years  my  senior;  but,  after  the  desultory 
acquaintance  of  a  man  and  a  boy,  we  came  to- 
gether under  circumstances  which  obliterated 


344     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

the  disparity  of  age  and  established  between  us 
a  lasting  bond  of  affection.  His  wife,  Mar- 
garet, had  died,  and  he  was  passing  through 
Washington  with  the  little  brood  of  children 
she  had  left  him.  It  made  the  saddest  spectacle 
I  had  ever  seen.  As  I  recall  it  after  forty- 
seven  years,  the  scene  of  silent  grief,  of  unut- 
terable helplessness,  has  a  present  haunting 
power  over  me — the  oldest  lad  not  eight  years 
of  age,  the  littlest  a  girl  baby  in  arms,  the  young 
father  aghast  by  the  sudden  tragedy  which  had 
come  upon  him.  There  must  have  been  some- 
thing in  my  sympathy  which  drew  him  toward 
me,  for  on  his  return  a  few  months  later  he 
sought  me  out,  and  we  fell  into  the  easy  inter- 
course of  established  relations. 

"  I  was  recovering  from  an  illness,  and  every 
day  he  would  come  and  read  by  my  bedside.  I 
had  not  then  lost  the  action  of  one  of  my  hands, 
putting  an  end  to  a  course  of  study  I  had  hoped 
to  develop  into  a  career.  He  was  infinitely 
fond  of  music  and  sufficiently  familiar  with  the 
old  masters  to  understand  and  enjoy  them.  His 
whole  nature  and  temperament  were  catholic. 
He  was  an  artist  through  and  through,  pos- 
sessing a  sweet,  nor  yet  an  uncultivated,  voice — 
a  blend  between  a  low  tenor  and  a  high  bari- 
tone— I   was    almost   about    to   write    a   'con- 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  345 

tralto,'  it  was  so  soft  and  liquid.  Its  tones  in 
speech  retained  to  the  last  their  charm.  Who 
that  heard  them  shall  ever  forget  them? 

''  His  mind  was  reflective  and  radiating.  His 
humour,  though  perennial,  was  subdued;  his  wit 
keen  and  spontaneous,  never  acrid,  sinister,  or 
wounding.  His  speech  abounded  with  uncon- 
scious epigram.  He  had  his  beliefs  and  stood 
by  them;  but  he  was  never  aggressive  or  prag- 
matical. Cleaner  speech  never  fell  from  the 
lips  of  mortal  man.  I  never  heard  him  use  a 
profanity.  We  once  agreed  between  us  to  draw 
a  line  on  the  salacious  stories,  so  much  in  vogue 
during  our  day;  the  wit  must  exceed  the  dirt; 
where  the  dirt  exceeded  the  wit,  we  would  none 
of  it. 

"He  was  a  singularly  self-respecting  man; 
genuinely  a  modest  man.  The  actor  is  supposed 
to  be  so  familiar  with  the  public  as  to  be  proof 
against  surprises.  Before  his  audience  he 
must  be  master  of  himself,  holding  the  situation 
and  his  art  by  the  firmest  grip.  He  must  simu- 
late, not  experience,  emotion,  the  effect  prefer- 
able to  the  seeming,  never  to  the  actuality,  never 
to  the  realisation.  Mr.  Jefferson  held  to  this 
doctrine  and  applied  it  rigorously.  On  a  cer- 
tain occasion  we  were  dining  with  a  gentleman 
who  had  overpartaken  of  his  own  hospitality. 


346     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

Mr.  Murat  Halstead  was  of  the  company. 
There  was  also  a  German  of  distinction,  whose 
knowledge  of  English  was  extremely  limited. 
The  Rip  Van  Winkle  craze  was  at  its  height. 
After  sufficiently  impressing  the  German  with 
the  rare  opportunity  he  was  having  in  meeting 
a  man  so  famous  as  Mr.  Jefferson,  our  host,  en- 
couraged by  Mr.  Halstead,  and  I  am  afraid  not 
discouraged  by  me,  began  to  urge  Mr.  Jefifer- 
son  to  give  us,  as  he  said,  '  a  touch  of  his  mettle,' 
and,  failing  to  draw  the  great  comedian  out,  he 
undertook  himself  to  give  a  few  descriptive 
passages  from  the  drama,  which  was  carrying 
the  town  by  storm.  Poor  Jefferson!  He  sat 
like  an  awkward  boy,  helpless  and  blushing. 
The  German  wholly  unconscious  of  the  fun,  or 
even  comprehending  just  what  was  happening 
— Halstead  and  I  maliciously,  mercilessly  pil- 
ing it  up  and  enjoying  it. 

"  I  never  heard  Mr.  Jefferson  make  a  recita- 
tion, or,  except  in  the  singing  of  a  song  before 
his  voice  began  to  break,  make  himself  a  part 
in  any  private  entertainment  other  than  that  of 
a  spectator  and  guest.  He  shrank  from  per- 
sonal displays  of  every  sort.  Even  in  his  younger 
days  he  rarely  *  gagged,'  or  interpolated,  upon 
the  stage.  Yet  he  did  not  lack  for  a  ready  wit 
not  inferior  to  that  of  the  inimitable  Nat  Good- 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  347 

win  himself.  Once  during  the  final  act  of  Rip 
Van  Winkle,  a  young  countryman  in  the  gal- 
lery was  so  carried  away  that  he  quite  lost  his 
bearings  and  seemed  to  be  about  to  climb  over 
the  outer  balustrade.  The  audience,  spellbound 
by  the  actor,  nevertheless  saw  the  rustic,  and  its 
attention  was  being  divided  between  the  two 
when  Jefferson  reached  that  point  in  the  action 
of  the  piece  where  Rip  is  amazed  by  the  docility 
of  his  wife  under  the  ill  usage  of  her  second 
husband.  He  took  in  the  situation  at  a  glance. 
Casting  his  eye  directly  upon  the  youth  in  the 
gallery,  he  uttered  the  lines  as  if  addressing 
them  directly  to  him,  '  Well,  I  would  never 
have  believed  it  if  I  had  not  seen  it.'  The  poor 
fellow,  startled,  drew  back  from  his  perilous 
position  and  the  audience  broke  into  a  storm  of 
applause. 

"  Mr.  Jefiferson  was  a  Swedenborgian  in  his 
religious  faith.  At  one  time  too  extreme  a  be- 
lief in  spiritualism  threatened  to  cloud  his 
sound,  wholesome  understanding.  As  he  grew 
older  and  happier,  and  passed  out  from  the 
shadow  of  his  early  tragedy,  he  fell  away  from 
the  more  sinister  influence  the  supernatural  had 
attained  over  his  imagination.  Once  in  Wash- 
ington I  had  him  to  breakfast  to  meet  the  Chief 
Justice  and  Mr.  Justice  Mathews  and  Mr.  Car- 


348     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

lisle,  the  but  newly-elected  Speaker  of  the 
House.  It  was  a  rainy  Sunday,  and  it  was  in 
my  mind  to  warn  him  that  our  company  was 
made  up  of  hard-headed  lawyers,  not  too  apt  to 
be  impressed  by  fairy  tales  and  ghost  stories, 
and  to  suggest  that  he  cut  the  spiritualism,  in 
case  the  conversation  fell,  as  was  likely,  into 
the  speculative.  I  forgot,  or  something  hin- 
dered, and  sure  enough,  the  question  of  second 
sight  and  mind-reading  came  up,  and  I  said  to 
myself:  *Lord,  now  we'll  have  it.'  But  it  was 
my  kinsman,  Stanley  Mathews,  who  led  off  with 
a  clairvoyant  experience  in  his  law  practice.  I 
began  to  be  reassured. 

"Mr.  Carlisle  followed  with  a  most  mathe- 
matical account  of  some  hobgoblins  he  had  en- 
countered in  his  law  practice.  Finally  the  Chief 
Justice,  Mr.  Waite,  related  a  series  of  incidents 
so  fantastic  and  incredible,  yet  detailed  with  the 
precision  and  lucidity  of  a  master  of  plain  state- 
ment, as  fairly  to  stagger  the  most  believing 
ghost-seer. 

"  Then  I  said  to  myself  again :  *  Let  her  go, 
Joe;  no  matter  what  you  tell  now,  you  will  fall 
below  the  standard  set  by  these  professional  per- 
fecters  of  pure  reason,  and  are  safe  to  do  your 
best,  or  your  worst.'  I  think  he  held  his  own, 
however. 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  349 

"Joseph  Jefferson  came  to  his  artistic  spurs 
slowly  but  surely.  He  was  nearly  thirty  when 
he  got  his  chance,  and,  therefore,  wholly  equal 
to  it  and  prepared  for  it.  William  E.  Burton 
stood,  and  had  stood,  for  twenty-five  years  the 
recognised,  the  reigning  king  of  comedy  in 
America.  He  was  a  master  of  his  craft  as  well 
as  a  leader  in  society  and  letters.  To  look  at 
him  when  he  came  upon  the  stage  was  to  laugh; 
yet  he  commanded  tears  hardly  less  than  laugh- 
ter. In  New  York,  particularly,  he  ruled  the 
roost,  and  could  and  did  do  that  which  had 
cost  another  his  place.  He  began  to  take  too 
many  liberties  with  the  public  favour,  and, 
truth  to  say,  was  growing  both  coarse  and  care- 
less. People  were  becoming  restive  under  min- 
istrations which  were  at  times  little  less  than 
impositions  upon  their  forbearance.  They 
wanted  something  equally  strong,  but  more  re- 
fined, and  in  the  person  of  the  leading  comedy 
man  of  Laura  Keene's  company,  a  young  actor 
by  the  name  of  Jefferson,  they  got  it. 

"  Both  Mr.  Sothern  and  Mr.  Jefferson  have 
told  the  story  of  Tom  Taylor's  extravaganza, 
Our  American  Cousin,  in  which  the  one  as 
Dundreary,  the  other  as  Asa  Trenchard,  rose  to 
almost  instant  popularity  and  fame.  I  shall  not 
repeat   it   except   to   say   that   Jefferson's   Asa 


350     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

Trenchard  was  unlike  any  other  the  English 
or  American  stage  has  known.  He  played  the 
raw  Yankee  boy,  not  in  low  comedy  at  all,  but 
made  him  innocent  and  ignorant  as  a  well-born 
Green  Mountain  lad  might  be,  never  a  buffoon, 
and  in  the  scene  when  Asa  tells  his  sweetheart 
the  bear  story,  and  whilst  pretending  to  light 
his  cigar  burns  the  will,  he  left  not  a  dry  eye 
in  the  house.  New  York  had  never  witnessed, 
never  divined  anything  in  humour  so  exquisite. 
Burton  and  his  friends  struggled  for  a  season, 
but  Jefferson  completely  knocked  them  out. 
Even  had  Burton  lived,  and  had  there  been  no 
diverting  war  of  sections  to  drown  all  else,  Jef- 
ferson would  have  come  to  his  growth  and  taken 
his  place  as  the  first  serio-comic  actor  of  his 
time. 

"  Rip  Van  Winkle  was  an  evolution.  Jeffer- 
son's half-brother,  Charles  Burke,  had  put  to- 
gether a  sketchy  melodrama  in  two  acts  and  had 
played  in  it,  was  playing  in  it,  when  he  died. 
After  his  Trenchard,  Jefferson  turned  himself 
loose  in  all  sorts  of  parts,  from  Diggory  to  Ma- 
zeppa,  a  famous  burlesque,  which  he  did  to  a 
turn,  imitating  the  mock  heroics  of  the  femi- 
nine horse  marines,  so  popular  in  the  equestrian 
drama  of  the  period,  Adah  Isaac  Menken,  the 
beautiful  and  ill  fated,  at  their  head.  Then  he 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  351 

produced  a  version  of  Nicholas  Nickleby,  in 
which  his  Newman  Noggs  took  a  more  ambi- 
tious flight.  These,  however,  were  but  the  avant- 
couriers  of  the  immortal  Rip. 

"  Charles  Burke's  piece  held  close  to  the  lines 
of  Irving's  legend.  When  the  vagabond  re- 
turns from  the  mountains  after  the  twenty  years' 
sleep,  Gretchen  is  dead.  The  apex  was  reached 
when  the  old  man,  sitting  dazed  at  a  table  in 
front  of  the  tavern  in  the  village  of  Falling 
Waters,  asks  after  Derrick  Von  Beeckman  and 
Nick  Vedder  and  other  of  his  cronies.  At  last, 
half  twinkle  of  humour  and  half  glimmer  of 
dread,  he  gets  himself  to  the  point  of  asking 
after  Dame  Van  Winkle,  and  is  told  that  she 
has  been  dead  these  ten  years.  Then,  like  a 
flash,  came  that  wonderful  Jeffersonian  change 
of  facial  expression,  and,  as  the  white  head 
drops  upon  the  arms  stretched  before  him 
on  the  table,  he  says:  'Well,  she  led  me  a  hard 
life,  a  hard  life,  but  she  was  the  wife  of  my 
bosom,  she  was  mein  frau! ' 

"  I  did  not  see  the  revised,  or  rather  the  newly 
created  and  written  Rip  Van  Winkle  until 
Mr.  Jefiferson  brought  it  to  America  and  was 
playing  it  at  Niblo's  Garden  in  New  York.  Be- 
tween himself  and  Dion  Boucicault  a  drama 
carrying  all  the  possibilities,  all  the  lights  and 


352     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

shadows,  of  his  genius  had  been  constructed. 
In  the  first  act  he  sang  a  drinking  song  to 
a  wing  accompaniment  delightfully,  adding 
much  to  the  tone  and  colour  of  the  situation. 
The  exact  reversal  of  the  Lear  suggestion  in  the 
last  act  was  an  inspiration,  his  own  and  not 
Boucicault's.  The  weird  scene  in  the  mountains 
fell  in  admirably  with  a  certain  weird  note  in 
the  Jefifersonian  genius,  and  supplied  the  needed 
element  of  variety.  I  always  thought  it  a  good 
acting  play  under  any  circumstances,  but,  in 
his  hands,  matchless.  He  thought  himself  that 
the  piece,  as  a  piece,  and  regardless  of  his  own 
acting,  deserved  better  of  the  critics  than  they 
were  always  willing  to  give  it.  Assuredly,  no 
drama  that  ever  was  written,  as  he  played  it, 
ever  took  such  a  hold  upon  the  public.  He 
rendered  it  to  three  generations,  and  to  a  ris- 
ing, not  a  falling,  estimate,  drawing  to  the  very 
last  undiminished  audiences. 

"  Because  of  this  unexampled  run  he  was 
sometimes  described  by  unthinking  people  as  a 
one-part  actor.  Nothing  could  be  farther  from 
the  truth.  He  possessed  uncommon  versatility. 
That  after  twenty  years  of  the  new  Rip  Van 
Winkle,  when  he  was  past  fifty  years  of  age, 
he  could  come  back  to  such  parts  as  Acres  and 
Golightly  is  proof  of  this.     He  need  not  have 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  353 

done  so  at  all.  Carrying  a  pension-roll  of  de- 
pendents aggregating  thirty  or  forty  thousand 
a  year  for  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century,  Rip 
would  still  have  sufficed  his  requirements.  It 
was  his  love  for  his  art  that  took  him  to  The 
Cricket  and  The  Rivals,  and  at  no  inconsid- 
erable cost  to  himself.  I  have  heard  ill-natured 
persons,  some  of  them  envious  actors,  say  that 
he  did  nothing  for  the  stage.  He  certainly  did 
not  make  many  contributions  to  its  upholstery. 
He  was  in  no  position  to  emulate  Sir  Henry 
Irving  in  forcing  and  directing  the  public  taste. 
But  he  did  in  America  quite  as  much  as  Sir 
Charles  Wyndham  and  Sir  Henry  in  England. 
"Shakespeare  was  his  Bible.  The  stage  had 
been  his  cradle.  He  continued  all  his  days  a 
student.  In  him  met  the  meditative  and  the 
observing  faculties.  In  his  love  of  fishing,  his 
love  of  painting,  his  love  of  music,  we  see  the 
brooding,  contemplative  spirit  joined  to  the 
alert  in  mental  force  and  foresight,  when  he 
addressed  himself  to  the  activities  and  the  ob- 
jectives of  the  theatre.  He  was  a  thorough 
stage  manager,  skilful,  patient,  and  upright. 
His  company  was  his  family.  He  was  not  gen- 
tler with  the  children  and  grandchildren  he  ul- 
timately drew  about  him  than  he  had  been  with 
the  young  men   and  young  women  who  had 


354     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

preceded  them  in  his  employment  and  instruc- 
tion. 

"  He  was  not  ashamed  of  his  calling,  but 
proud  of  it.  His  mother  had  lived  and  died 
an  actress.  He  preferred  that  his  progeny  should 
follow  in  the  footsteps  of  their  forebears  even 
as  he  had  done.  It  is  beside  the  purpose  to 
inquire,  as  does  the  London  Telegraph,  what  he 
might  have  done  had  he  undertaken  the  higher 
flights  of  tragedy;  whether  he  could  have  ren- 
dered the  passion  of  Lear;  one  might  as  well 
discuss  the  relation  of  a  Dickens  to  a  Shake- 
speare. 

•  •  •  •  • 

"  Forgive  me  I  I  did  not  take  up  my  pen  to 
dabble  in  dramatic  criticism.  It  was  to  speak 
of  my  friend,  my  dear  friend,  the  friend  of  a 
lifetime,  that  I  began  to  write,  and  the  task,  the 
duty,  whatever  you  choose  to  call  it,  is  quite 
beyond  me.  I  walked  with  him  through  a  sea- 
son of  despair,  and,  ten  years  later,  I  saw  him 
come  up  out  of  the  valley  of  death,  clasping  in 
his  arms  a  fair,  young  bride,  the  seeds  of  love 
regerminate,  the  flower  of  a  glorious  and  a  new 
life  bursting  into  bloom,  the  night  and  the  storm 
blown  by,  the  mid-ocean  calm  as  summer,  the 
sun  in  the  heavens  shining  brighter  than  ever 
for  him  and  his.    It  was  an  inspiration  to  know 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  355 

him,  happiness  to  love  him.  Albeit,  a  poem, 
his  life  was  an  open  book.  I  recall  no  passage 
which  I  would  forget.  When  two  or  three 
years  ago  I  introduced  him  to  a  home  audience 
[on  the  occasion  already  mentioned],  I  took 
leave  to  refer  to  the  long  friendship  between 
us,  the  Arcadian  days  and  the  Noctes  Ambro- 
sianae  we  had  passed  together,  and  I  tried  to 
quote  from  memory  the  words  addressed  by 
Curran  to  Lord  Yelverton  in  recollection  of  a 
similar  association  because  they  were  so  truth- 
ful and  seemed  so  relevant: 

For  we  shared  them  not  in  wantonness  and  wine, 

But  in  true  poesy,  wit  and  philosophy, 
Arts  which  I  loved,  for  they,  my  friend,  were  thine  I 

"And  with  these  words  I  shall  leave  him, 
where  he  fitly  lies  as  I  write ;  my  homage  to  his 
memory,  to  his  loved  ones  the  tender  of  a  sym- 
pathy, affectionate  and  profound." 

In  reminiscence  Mr.  John  Maguire  is  always 
most  interesting,  and  in  reflection  a  wise  philos- 
opher. No  more  beautiful  wreath  has  been  laid 
upon  the  tomb  of  Joseph  Jefferson  than  his 
tribute: 

"Joseph  Jefferson  is  dead!  his  hearty  hand- 
grasp,  the  magnetism  of  his  presence,  may  never 
be  felt  again;  dying  in  his  harness  while  his 


356     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

buckles  were  unloosed  as  noiselessly  as  the  an- 
gels unbarred  the  prison  in  which  Peter  was  con- 
fined. It  is  more  than  forty  years  since  my  first 
meeting  with  Jefferson.  It  was  during  his  sec- 
ond engagement  at  the  Prince  of  Wales  Opera 
House  in  Sydney,  Australia.  This  was  in  the 
early  sixties,  and,  it  is  safe  to  say,  the  Augus- 
tinian  Age  of  the  drama  in  that  sunny  land. 
His  unbounded  generosity  of  thought  and 
action  weds  our  souls  with  ties  of  endearing  love 
to  his.  Regard  him  as  you  may,  whether  as 
the  personal  friend,  the  man  of  the  highest 
achievement  in  his  art,  to  each  and  every  ca- 
pacity he  rounded  out  the  complete  and  per- 
fect type  of  one  to  love.  And  now  he  has  gone 
from  us,  and  we  wonder  at  this  infliction,  as  the 
child  wonders  why  the  beautiful  flowers  should 
ever  fade. 

"God  spared  him  to  earth  beyond  the  ordi- 
nary limit  of  human  life,  and  in  His  goodness 
called  him  as  gently  and  as  quietly  as  the  au- 
tumn breezes  which  glance  the  leaflet's  beauty 
in  the  sun,  and  at  last  bear  it  in  silence  from  the 
bough. 

"The  crown  of  such  a  life  is  enduring  hon- 
our, the  ultimate  of  such,  a  blissful  immortality. 

"  Good  night,  sweet  Prince, 
And  flights  of  angels  sing  thee  to  thy  rest." 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  357 

RICHARD  WATSON  GILDER 

(Courtesy  of  Houghton,  Mifflin  Co.) 

JOSEPH  JEFFERSON 

Some  element  in  nature  seems  withdrawn. 

The  world  we  lived  in  of  his  spirit  wrought — 

His  brightness,  sweetness,  tender  gaiety, 

His  childlike,  wistful   and  half-humorous  faith 

That  turned  this  harsh  world  into  fairy  land — 

He  made  our  world,  and  now  our  world  is  changed. 

The  sunniest  nature  his  that  ever  breathed; 
Most  lovable  of  all  the  sons  of  men, 
Who  built  his  joy  on  making  others  happy; 
Like  Jesus,  lover  of  the  hills  and  shores. 
And  like  Him,  to  the  beasts  and  flowers  kin, 
And  with  a  brother's  love  for  all  mankind, 
But  chiefly  for  the  loving — tho'  the  lost. 

In  his  own  art,  ineffable,  serene. 
And  mystical   (not  less  to  nature  true 
And  to  the  heart  of  man) — his  was  the  power 
To  shed  a  light  of  love  on  human  wails 
And  folk  of  simple  soul.     Where'er  he  went 
Sweet  childhood  followed  and  all  childlike  hearts. 
His  very  presence  made  a  holiday — 
Affectionate  laughter  and  quick  unsad  tears. 
Now,  he  being  gone,  the  sun  shines  not  so  brigjit, 
And  every  shadow  darkens.     Kind   heaven  forbid 
Our  lives  should  lack  forever  what  he  gave, 
Prove  mirage-haunted  every  good  unreal! 


358     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

Let  the  brave  cheer  of  life  we  had  through  him 

Return,  from  his  joyous  soul, 

That  cannot  all  be  lost,  where'er  it  hides — 

Hides — but  is  quenched  not — haply  smiling  still, 
Near  where  his  well-loved   Shakespeare  smiling  sits, 
Whose  birthday  for  his  own  new  birth  he  took 
Into  the  unseen  world — to  him  not  far. 
But  radiant  with  the  same  mysterious  light 
That  filled  his  noontime  with  the  twilight's  dream. 

And  it  was  Easter,  too,  the  golden  day 
Of  resurrection,  and  man's  dauntless  hope. 
Into  the  unseen  he  passed,  willing  and  glad. 
And  humbly  proud  of  a  great  nation's  love. 

In  honoured  age,  with  heart  untouched  by  fears, 
Save  to  grow  sweeter;  and  more  dear,  more  dear — 
Into  that  world  whereon  so  oft  he  mused. 
Where  he  forgot  not  this,  nor  shall  we  him — 
That  magic  smile,   that  most  pathetic  voice; 
That  starry  glance,  that  rare  and  faithful  soul. 

From  dream  to  dream  he  passed  on  Shakespeare's  day: 


f 


So  dedicate  his  mind  to  pleasant  thought. 

So  deep  his  fealty  to  that  supreme  shade, 

He  being  like  him  of  Avon,  a  fairy  child,  ■ 

High  born  of  miracle  and  of  mystery, 

Of  wonder  and  of  wisdom  and  of  mirth. 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  359 

REV.  EDWARD  A.  HORTON 

JOSEPH  JEFFERSON 

Mysteries  there  are  man's  patient  thought  shall  pierce, 
And  wonders  many  turn  to  knowledge  firm; 
But  still  eluding,  baffling  mortal  ken 
Remains  the  marvel  of  a  gifted  soul. 
From  whence  its  charm,  so  plain  and  yet  so  veiled? 
In  what  deep  mystic  sources  sprang  its  life? 
Through  varying  years,  mid  fierce  conflicting  tides, 
It  ran  the  current  of  its  Protean  power. 

What  we  call  death  the  magic  spell  disturbs 
Only  to  throne  the  mortal  in  immortal  sway; 
O'er  hearts  still  potent,  and  for  woes  a  cure, 
Succeeding  generations  wreathe  his  name. 
Thus  daunted  in  our  search  we  use  wise  words, 
Our  lack  of  insight  marked  at  every  step. 
Till,  wearied  out  in  fruitless  quest  so  long, 
We  own  the  master  and  the  secret  miss. 

He  moved  among  us,  open  as  the  day, 
With  guileless  mood;  his  gentle  mien  and  grace 
Persuaded  unto  goodness,  and  his  blithesome  ways 
Made  bright  the  pathways  of  his  fellow-men. 
Full  often  tears  were  tributes  to  his  thrall, 
Healing,  indeed,  as  from  a  love  unsealed. 

Unlike  our  common  race,  he  grew  not  old 
To  things  of  beauty,  mirth  and  sympathy; 
The  morning  light  of  childlike  faith  and  hope 
Shone  in  his  eyes  and  flashed  along  his  speech; 


36o     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

To  all  his  friends  a  comradeship  he  bore 
Full  of  fine  feeling  and  a  bond  sincere; 
The  better  self  within  each  one  he  freed, 
And  broadened  life  in  narrow  confines  shut. 
Ungowned,  he  wore  the  inner  robes  of  peace, 
Uncrowned,  he  was  a  king  by  native  worth. 
No  cypress  wreath,  no  sobbing  dirge  we  bring, 
But  sunshine,  smiles,  and  songs  of  thankfulness ; 
His  name,  his  fame,  by  loyal  love  shall  live 
To  speed  his  mission  in  a  shadowed  world. 

THE  OLD  COLONY  CLUB 

"While  the  death  of  Joseph  Jefferson  has 
been  lamented  by  the  American  stage,  and  in- 
deed by  the  country  as  a  whole,  to  his  fellow 
members  of  the  Old  Colony  Club  it  came  as  a 
heavy  personal  loss.  Here  among  us  in  the  Old 
Colony  he  made  his  home,  and  here  is  his 
chosen  sepulchre  in  the  soil  which  he  loved 
above  every  other  spot  of  earth. 

"  Here  he  enacted  in  our  sight  the  role  of 
neighbour  and  friend,  illustrating  the  usual  vir- 
tues of  a  public-spirited  citizen  and  the  kindly 
sympathies  of  a  kindly  heart." 

Joseph  Jefferson  was  president  of  the  Old 
Colony  Club — a  local  organisation  for  the  pro- 
tection of  the  fishing  in  Buzzards  Bay — and  at 
his  passing,  the  above  resolutions  on  parchment, 


Photo  by  Thos.  Jefferson 


BOULDER   AT  GRAVE 


THE   QUOTATION   ON   THE   TABLET   CONSISTS   OF  THE    LAST    LINES    IN 

MR.  Jefferson's  autobiography 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  361 

illuminated,  and  containing  a  fine  picture  of 
their  late  president,  was  presented  to  his  son, 
Thomas  Jefferson,  by  the  club. 

The  American  public,  wishing  to  show  him 
honour,  requested  of  the  family  of  Joseph  Jef- 
ferson that  he  be  allowed  to  lie  in  state,  so  all 
might  pay  their  last  respects  to  him,  but  at  his 
own  wish,  true  to  his  nature,  the  ceremonies 
were  of  the  simplest,  and  conducted  at  his  own 
home.  A  minister  of  the  Gospel,  Edward  A. 
Horton,  a  few  devoted  friends  of  long  standing, 
and  his  family;  a  loving  word,  a  prayer,  and  the 
reading  of  his  favourite  poem. 

May  there  be  no  moaning  of  the  bar, 
When  I  put  out  to  sea, 

that  was  all  1 

It  was  early  spring;  his  passing  had  been  on 
Easter  Sunday,  when  all  the  earth  was  rejoic- 
ing in  the  Resurrection — a  beautiful  day,  and 
the  children  and  natives  of  the  little  town  on 
the  Cape  had  gathered  the  arbutus  and  formed 
a  great  mound,  whose  fragrance  filled  the  at- 
mosphere, like  the  fragrance  which  his  own 
beautiful  life  shed  abroad.  A  great  red  rose 
was  laid  upon  the  casket  as  the  last  offering  of 
his  absent  friend,  William  Winter,  while  an- 


362     INTIMATE  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

other  friend  dropped  into  the  grave  the  bunch 
of  forget-me-nots  which  the  grandchildren  had 
sent. 

The  simple  boulder  which  marks  the  grave 
is  symbolic  of  the  strength  and  naturalness  of 
the  character  of  the  man. 

The  medallion  of  bronze  upon  the  front  of 
the  rock  was  originally  the  work  of  M.  Ra- 
billon,  an  old  and  valued  friend,  of  Baltimore. 
It  was  the  good  fortune  of  the  writer  to  be  pres- 
ent when  Mr.  Jefferson  was  giving  to  the  artist 
a  sitting  for  this  fine  head. 

My  father-in-law,  in  his  humorous  way,  as- 
sumed an  awkward  position  as  though  about  to 
have  his  photograph  taken;  whereupon  the 
Frenchman,  M.  Rabillon,  turned  Mr.  Jeffer- 
son's head  towards  the  members  of  the  family, 
who  had  accompanied  him  to  the  artist's  house, 
where  they  were  to  lunch  with  him,  saying: 

"Now,  talk  to  them — be  natural,"  and  pick- 
ing up  the  clay  the  artist  began  to  work. 

Through  a  mistake,  in  a  recently  published 

book,  the  entire  credit  for  this  work  of  art  has 

been  given  to  another,  and  M.  Rabillon's  son 

drew   attention   to   the    fact   in   the   following 

letter: 

Baltimore. 

My  Dear  Charlie: 

I   was   under   the   impression   that   the   medallion   which 

was  imbedded   in   the  boulder  over   Mr.   Jefferson's  grave 


JOSEPH  JEFFERSON  363 

was  the  one  that  my  father  had  done  of  him  more  than 
twenty  years  ago,  and  both  my  sister  and  myself  were  very 
proud  to  know  that  the  work  was  placed  over  his  dear 
friend.    In  fact,  we  spoke  of  it  to  many  of  our  own  friends. 

Great  was  our  surprise  and  chagrin  to  find  that  under 
the  illustration  of  the  grave  this  work  of  art  is  attributed 
to  Mr.  Walker,  also  a  friend  of  your  father. 

I  have  compared  the  picture  with  the  original  medal- 
lion, which  we  still  have,  and  they  are  undoubtedly  the 
same. 

Very  truly  yours, 
Leonce  Rabillon. 

Feb.  19th,  '07. 

Mr.  Charles  A.  Walker,  of  Boston,  explains 
the  changes  made  by  himself  in  the  bronze 
medallion,  which,  at  the  request  of  Mrs.  Joseph 
Jefferson,  he  placed  at  the  back  of  the  boulder 
— as  being  taken  from  this  cast,  the  original, 
especially  for  this  purpose. 

It  was  Mr.  Walker's  suggestion  that  a  natural 
boulder  of  rock  would  be  far  better  for  a  monu- 
ment than  one  of  man's  work,  because  Mr.  Jef- 
ferson loved  the  rocks  in  nature  and  so  fre- 
quently painted  them  into  his  mountain  brook 
scenes. 

Mr.  Walker  also  suggested  that  a  panel  be 
placed  upon  the  front  of  the  rock,  bearing  sim- 
ply the  name  "Joseph  Jefferson,"  and,  below 
that,  the  tribute  paid  to  him  by  Grover  Cleve- 
land. 


364     INTIMATE   RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

After  due  consideration,  authority  was  given 
Mr.  Walker  to  proceed  with  the  design  for  the 
panel,  but  instead  of  Mr.  Cleveland's  words, 
he  decided  to  incorporate  the  last  words  writ- 
ten in  his  friend's  autobiography.  Says  Mr. 
Walker: 

"  I  designed  the  front  panel  with  a  simple 
palm  border,  and  the  name,  birth,  and  death 
date  of  Joseph  Jefferson  above — and  below,  his 
quotation  on  immortality. 

"  I  modelled  this  and  had  it  carried  out  from 
my  own  design  and  cast  into  bronze. 

"One  day  while  at  Crow's  Nest,  I  said  to 
Mrs.  Jefferson,  *  I  wish  I  had  time  to  model 
a  bas-relief  to  place  at  the  back  of  the  boulder.' 
She  brought  out  the  bronze  cast  of  M.  Rabil- 
lon,  made  many  years  ago  as  a  much  younger 
man.  I  told  Mrs.  Jefferson  that  I  would  take 
a  mould  of  the  head  in  clay,  and  remodel  it,  and 
add  to  it  a  medallion  shaped  to  suit  my  ideas 
of  form.  I  did  so.  The  original  cast  was  in 
oval  form,  plain,  without  any  border.  I  shaped 
it  differently,  like  a  round  medallion,  bordered 
with  wreaths  of  oak  and  ivy  and  ribbon- 
ated.'" 

Mr.  Rabillon's  name  appears  in  the  cast  at 
the  base  of  the  medallion,  with  Mr.  Walker's 
initials  below. 


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■      «>          ,        '              , 

Photo  bv  TI1..8.  Jcffer: 


RKAR   VltVV   OF   BUILDER 


THE  BAS  RELIEF  SHOWN  IN  THIS  I'lCTURE  WAS  ORHJINALI.Y 
iMOUELKD  BY  LEONCE  RABILLON,  AND  THE  DECORATION  SUR- 
ROUNDING  IT   WAS   DESIGNED   BY   C.    A.    WALKER 


JOSEPH   JEFFERSON  365 

In  the  early  days  of  his  pilgrimage  to  Cape 
Cod,  Mr.  Jefferson  became  enamoured  of  the 
lovely  country.  As  he  waded  the  trout  streams 
with  an  old  Indian  guide  who  had  once  acted 
in  the  same  capacity  to  Daniel  Webster,  or 
drove  through  the  wooded  roads,  rowed  and 
fished  in  the  placid  water  of  Wakeby,  Scorton, 
Big  and  Little  Sandy  Ponds,  he  remained  al- 
ways conscious  of  the  charms  of  the  place.  He 
once  expressed  the  wish  that  some  day  he  might 
sleep  in  the  sandy  soil  of  which  he  was  so  fond, 
and  two  years  before  he  was  laid  in  it,  he  se- 
lected the  particular  spot.  It  was  most  pictur- 
esque, although  only  a  little  country  cemetery, 
nestled  close  to  hill  and  woodland,  just  as 
Nature  made  it,  and  called  Bay  View,  on  ac- 
count of  the  glimpse  of  the  sparkling  waters 
of  Massachusetts  Bay,  which  lies  beyond  the 
stretches  of  moor  and  shore  line. 

Here  he  had  been  everybody's  friend — the 
farmers  and  the  fishermen  were  his  neighbours, 
the  streams  and  the  ponds  were  his  home,  and 
here  he  chose  for  himself  the  quiet  spot  which 
was  to  be  his  last  resting-place. 

"  He  is  mourned  by  three  generations  who 
loved  him  for  the  smiles  and  tears  he  brought 
into  their  lives.  Nature  stood  with  uncovered 
head  to  say  to  all  the  world,  *  This  was  a  man.' " 


366  JOSEPH   JEFFERSON 

It  was   Shakespeare's  birthday  which  he  had 
chosen  for  his  own  new  birth, — 

And  it  was  Easter,  too,  the  golden  day 
Of  resurrection  and  man's  dauntless  hope. 
Into  the  Unseen  he  passed,  willing  and  glad, 
And  humbly  proud  of  a  great  nation's  love. 


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